St Albans City Youth have been boosted by the imminent return of football but that doesn't mean they have been idle during the lockdown.

The government's roadmap out of lockdown and the restrictions to sport mean the grassroots game is scheduled to return on March 29 but the football club's teams have still been staying in contact.

Football development manager Charlie Boswell and football development officer Anthony Gosling are delivering in excess of 10 online sessions a week to each section.

Some have focused on football skills and activities while others have included quizzes and other challenges.

Boswell said: "As a club we understand the role we can play in supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of our players. The children are missing their sport and their friends, and we are doing what we can to fill that void.”

The challenges the teams have been trying to tackle have been varied too.

The U12 Wildcats have been doing a sponsored run to raise money for NHS charities while the U11 Girls' Central had an online meet-up with their friends DPA Cobras from Dayton, Ohio.

The inclusive squads meanwhile decided to see if they could collectively walk the 950 kilometres from St Albans to Lairg in Scotland and raise money for the club in the process.

To sponsor them go to https://localgiving.org/fundraising/inclusive-team-lockdown-walking-challenge/