PEOPLE taking advantage of this weekend’s winter wonderland to go sledging or snowball fighting are reminded to stay as far as possible away from others to avoid spreading Covid-19.

Government guidelines say you can go out for exercise as a household but if you meet up with others then more people are put at risk.

Bradford Council is asking residents to stay as local as possible and to try to avoid exercising in the most popular places if the number of people there makes it difficult to social distance.

Places like parks and green spaces such Chellow Dene and Shipley Glen have been so crowded at popular times that safe, social distancing has been impossible along the narrow pathways and other areas.

According to the council, you should not meet up with other people and you should avoid crowded places if you want to protect yourself from Covid-19 infection.

They say it might not have a major impact on you but if you pass it on to a vulnerable member of your family or other person you come into contact with, then it becomes a potential tragedy and more strain on our hard-working NHS staff.

Following Government advice, Bradford Council staff have been removing tennis nets and putting up signs to tell the public that they shouldn’t be using the outdoor gym equipment or ball courts in parks and green spaces.

Cllr Sarah Ferrriby said: “We appreciate how hard it is for people to continue to limit their lives to such narrow confines but isolation is the only way to protect yourself from this horrible virus.

“Going to your local park or beauty spot to exercise seems inviting but if crowds of people congregate in the same area, then the opportunity for Covid-19 to claim new victims is increased.

“Please think twice before deciding where to go for exercise and fresh air – if you are close to lots of other people, that fresh air could well be carrying a deadly virus.

“We are losing so many people every day in this pandemic but there is light at the end of the tunnel with the new vaccines.

“We don’t want to lose more friends and family as a result of them taking unnecessary risks in crowded places.”

Please see Government guidelines on using green spaces by visiting this link: gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-on-accessing-green-spaces-safely