THE rules around sport, fitness, exercise and recreational activity change from today, Monday, June 1.

You can exercise outdoors with up to five others from different households, so long as you maintain social distancing.

Only non-contact sport is allowed.

The relaxing of restrictions around group exercise, as part of the country's phased recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, were confirmed by the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden over the weekend.

This does open the way for teams across the range of sports to be able to meet up in small groups to return to outdoor training for fitness purposes, fitting in with the guidelines highlighted above.

Running, bike rides, fitness drills and walks could fit in with this, as could four-ball golf or going fishing with friends - as long as the existing rules around social distancing, including staying two metres apart, travelling separately and non-sharing of equipment, are adhered to.

The likes of changing rooms, clubhouses, function rooms are to remain closed.

It is advised that you check that facilities, such as golf courses and public courts and tracks, are confirmed as open or have relaxed these restrictions if you attempt to make use of any that fit the criteria.