British bicycles and car parts retailer Halfords said on Wednesday it was reopening 53 of its stores across the country, having implemented social distancing measures to counter the threat of the coronavirus.

The group said the reopenings follow successful trials at its Peterborough, central England, and Bristol Cribbs Causeway, western England, stores and will be the first time that customers have been allowed in store since the national lockdown started on March 23.

As Halfords was granted "essential" retailer status, 335 of its 446 retail stores have until now been operating under a Dark Store model during the lockdown. This means that customers have been unable to browse and instead have been placing orders with Halfords staff outside the front of the store.

(Reporting by James Davey; editing by Kate Holton)