Grassroots sport clubs won't be granted exemption from lockdown, insist PM and Secretary for Sport

Elite sport will be allowed to continue behind closed doors, but all action, indoor and outdoor, must wind down for the period of the second national lockdown which starts on Thursday.

It appears Northern Premier League sides Scarborough Athletic and Whitby Town, Northern Premier League North West Pickering Town and NCEL Premier Division Bridlington Town will have to halt fixtures as well as local leagues and all junior football.

In response to being asked if children play grassroots sport, Dowden Tweeted: "This will be permitted in school settings. Unfortunately we need to pause grassroots sport outside school to reduce the transmission risk from households mixing.

"As soon as we can resume this, we will."

That followed on from Prime Minister Johnson insisting he cannot make any exemptions to the rule that outdoor sport - apart from at elite level - should stop in the national lockdown lasting from November 5 to December 2.

Johnson said: "I bitterly regret that we have to curtail for 28 days (non-elite) football clubs."

Sports including rugby and hockey had already accepted their fate - but golf bosses are still thought to be negotiating to allow some forms of their sport to continue.