GYM users in Herefordshire are thrilled that restrictions on sports have started to ease.

Outdoor swimming pools in England reopened from Saturday (July 11), with indoor pools, gyms and other sports facilities to follow on July 25, the Government announced.

Gyms in Herefordshire are now starting the process in gearing up to reopen after initially shutting their doors on March 21.

PureGym personal trainer Joel Graham said he’s “really excited” to get back into the gym and having access to extra facilities to “push clients to their goals”.

“During this crisis I have adapted to the online side for my clients using an app called Zoom which has helped my clients progress continue in the right direction.”

Mr Graham, 21, added: “The last few weeks I have added outdoor personal trainer sessions and circuits outdoors using my own equipment and applying the two-metre rule to push my clients’ progress to their maximum.

“Everyone has been super happy, and they are loving being back to training.

“I really hope the gym environment stays the same as everything slowly goes back to normal.”

The nationwide company hasn't confirmed an opening date as yet for its gym in Holmer Road, but they will be implementing a host of new safety measures when they do so.

They include "extensive and frequent cleaning" as well as hand sanitising stations, reorganising fitness equipment in order to maintain social distancing and contactless entry.

Ady Watts, who owns two gyms in Hereford and has been a personal trainer for 20 years, said sessions will be shortened slightly at his gyms in Rotherwas and at Hereford FC’s Edgar Street stadium to ensure everything is thoroughly cleaned between each use.

“We’re quite lucky; our business model focuses on lower numbers of people and high-quality coaching, so we have a maximum number of eight in any group at any one time,” he said.

“We’re reducing that further to six to cope with this so we have plenty of space to socially distance. Our business model isn’t too hard to adapt.”

People were also pleased that sports facilities are given the green light to reopen.

Jordan Parham, who plays for American football team Hereford Stampede, said: “It has been very difficult. Those who work out a lot use the gym not only for physical reasons but also as an escape from life’s stresses for one or two hours a day.

“Obviously, we’ve been able to work out from home, but for some, the gym is the only option to get the kit and facilities in order to actually escape.

“I started the gym for mental health reasons back when I was younger and that was nine years ago. Since then, other than lockdown, the longest I had gone without a gym session was three days.”

The 23-year-old from Hereford said he has faith in the Government’s assessments of the reopening of gyms, as well as Pure Gym, where he trains in Holmer Road, and the firm’s health and safety assessments.