A RUNNING club is calling on people to start moving their legs during the coronavirus outbreak.

Members of the UK's largest running club Lonely Goat Running Club, which was launched in Poole, are giving each other support online and "keeping each other running" to stay fit and healthy.

Following the warning from the Chief Medical Officer and Professor Chris Whitty telling people they should be exercising - just not in groups - the club are now urging people to start running.

The group of other 20,000 nationwide runners are taking part in virtual group runs using a treadmill, as well as running alone.

Founder of the club Chris Marsden said: "Despite the pandemic – our runners are still training alone and usually wearing their Lonely Goat t-shirt with pride, but also engaging in our chat group and social media, taking part in virtual group runs by using a treadmill and the fantastic Zwift platform, posting runs on Strava tracking app, and reading our newsletters and articles.

"In doing all of this, our community provides support and encouragement to each other to stay positive and keep going."

The club started almost three years ago and aims to provide an online club so that more people can belong to a real club, such as those who cannot join traditional clubs for work and family reasons or simply lack confidence.

As a result – many of the club's runners train alone - but still belong to a community that share the same running values.

He added: "Running has obvious physical benefits but is also closely linked to improved mental wellbeing. That is why it is so important to keep up a healthy active lifestyle, even through these more isolated times.

"Being part of Lonely Goat can help people do that - and it is totally free."