A TEMPORARY coronavirus testing facility is opening at Burnley Football Club's Turf Moor stadium tomorrow, the Lancashire Resilience Forum has confirmed.

The centre will operate alongside similar testing facilities at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Preston College, with the LRF keen to stress that testing will be administered by appointment only and people must not just turn up.

Organised by the NHS, working with the armed forces and the football club, the testing centre can accommodate around 250 people each day.

The tests are being arranged through the government coronavirus testing website and people have been warned against contacting the club to make a booking.

As well as key workers, tests are now available for anyone showing symptoms, who is also aged over 65 or working at a different place to their home.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health for Lancashire, said: "We know that this situation is a difficult time for people. Through testing we can understand more about the scale of this situation and help us to bring normal life back again, once it's appropriate to do so.

"Mobile testing sites helps us to prioritise certain areas, by adding additional capacity for a short time where it will have the most benefit.

"By testing key workers and their families if they're showing symptoms, we can keep vital services running at this time and protect the key workers themselves."

Doug Metcalfe, stadium and operations manager at Burnley FC, said: "Burnley Football Club is delighted and proud to continue our support of the NHS and armed forces by making Turf Moor available as a site for Coronavirus testing.

"The club had previously made its facilities available to the NHS to cope with potential added demands of the pandemic and we remain fully committed to working with the local health authorities in any way to try and combat both the spread and the effects of COVID-19.

"The club also recognises the heroic efforts of NHS staff operating on a day-to-day basis to treat patients and try and cope with the crisis and the threat to public health.

"We hope allowing the use of our stadium will allow the NHS and the Government to increase testing locally, help to identify those most at risk from the virus and take the next steps to defeating the virus.

"We will continue to work closely with Burnley Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, utilising our strong and close working relationship to support the unwavering efforts of everyone involved."

The Lancashire Resilience Forum says it is working closely with partner organisations to create additional mobile and satellite testing sites in the county, including mobile testing for care home staff.

People experiencing symptoms must follow the government and NHS advice.

You can find out more or book a coronavirus test at: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested