THE easing of restrictions means five-a-side football and other indoor adult contact sports are ready to kick off in the Kingdom.

Fife Sports and Leisure Trust welcomed the return to normal operating models which will also see the removal of lane swimming for public swimming sessions.

Some safety measures, such as screens at reception, the wearing of face masks and hand sanitation of hands, will remain.

The trust's chief executive, Emma Walker, said: “The move to near normal operations is very welcome and we look forward to welcoming customers back to the programmes and facilities they enjoyed prior to Scottish Government restrictions put in place due to the spread of Omicron.

“The announcement comes as we have launched our Get Moving challenge for 2022 which is proving very popular with a range of customers looking to get healthy or meet a personal goal for the year ahead.

“We would appeal to customers to continue to support their local leisure centre – in light of the pandemic and associated closures, the trust is working hard to recover, and the support of local communities is important for the long-term sustainability of the organisation.”

For further information on the trust’s new COVID protocols, visit www.fifeleisure.org.uk