A top government scientific advisor has said the idea that high profile sporting events could have spread the coronavirus more widely in the days before lockdown was an "interesting hypothesis".
It came after government ministers came under increasing fire for allowing Liverpool's Champions League match against Athletico Madrid to go ahead, despite warnings that events could be spreading the virus.
Earlier today the government faced similar criticism over the decisions to let the Cheltenham Festival go ahead. Deputy chief scientific adviser Professor Dame Angela McLean said it was an "interesting hypothesis" that Liverpool hosting a football match against Atletico Madrid could have spread coronavirus.