PEOPLE in Dorset can take advantage of a fitness tool designed to help couch potatoes get in shape.

Public Health England’s ‘Couch to 5k’ app, backed by the NHS, has been adopted by hundreds of thousands of people around the country seeking to get in shape during lockdown.

New figures show that downloads of the app skyrocketed over the last three months.

From March until the end of June, there were almost one million downloads - 858,000 compared to 448,000 during the same time last year – a 92% increase compared to 2019.

Couch to 5k is a running plan for beginners provided by Public Health England, helping those who are unfit or don’t regularly take exercise to take positive steps for their health and fitness.

Designed for people who have done little or no running, the app provides guided commentary from a coach and easily helps users to track progress, with getting three runs per week.

NHS leaders have said the Couch to 5k programme and other fitness apps could aid even more people to lead healthier lifestyles.

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/