Hundreds of people have been joining leisure centres since they reopened earlier this year.

Watford Woodside Leisure Centre and Watford Central Leisure Centre have seen upwards of 350 new members joining across both venues since reopening on July 25, operator Everyone Active said.

The leisure contractor, which runs the two centres in partnership with Watford Borough Council, added that there has been more than 29,000 visits across the two centres since their doors opened.

Attendance in group exercise classes across the centres have also been amongst the highest in the region, with classes operating at over 65 per cent capacity.

Due to increasing demand, additional class have now been added to the timetable for Group cycling and body pump.

Gary Foley, Contract Manager at Everyone Active, said: “The response we’ve received from our members has been overwhelmingly positive and we’re so pleased to see many new and returning members through our doors.

“Many of our activities including swimming lessons and badminton have returned and we are looking to reintroduce more activities over the coming months, including squash and Aqua Fit classes.

“For those who are not comfortable visiting us just yet, our online packages are perfect for staying fit and healthy in the meantime.”

The reopening measures at the leisure centres include one-way systems, enhanced cleaning regimes and structured sessions.

Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said: “I’m really pleased that our two fantastic leisure centres have been able to reopen safely.

“The high number of visitors shows that many of us are keen to stay fit and healthy and is testament to the work the Everyone Active team have done to make their re-openings as safe as possible. We must all continue to maintain social distancing and good hygiene to stop this virus spreading.”