91Èȱ¬

People in Scotland will be able to meet outside from tomorrow, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

Speaking in the country's capital, Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon announced an easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in Scotland at her daily briefing.

The changes include being able to meet up outdoors with people from one other household in groups of no more than eight in a park or a garden.

Ms Sturgeon said: "We can now move into phase one of our four-phase route map out of lockdown."

The changes have a "focus on outdoor activity" as "the risk of the virus spreading is lower in an outdoor environment" than being enclosed indoors - as long as people maintain social distancing.

But, the First Minister asked people not to meet more than one household in a day. She also urged people in Scotland to "use judgement" if they go to a beach or park and find it overcrowded, suggesting they should change plans and enjoy the outdoors somewhere else to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

People in Scotland will also be able to travel, preferably by walking or cycling, to another location to exercise. But the government are asking people to stay within five miles of their home.

Continuing her speech Nicola Sturgeon said people in Scotland still need to be careful and "stay at home as much as possible" because the virus "is still out there".

She also thanked the public for sticking to lockdown measures, which had allowed her to make the changes.

Meanwhile, school teachers in Scotland will begin to return to work from June 1, ahead of reopening for pupils on 11 August and from next Wednesday childcare will be available for more families, including childminders and nurseries. However, grandparents will not be allowed to look after grandchildren if they live in a different house.

When asked whether grandparents can hug grandchildren, Nicola Sturgeon urged people to maintain the two metre distancing rule and said: "Please don't put loved ones at risk."