COLCHESTER United general manager Tim Waddington says the club will continue with any NHS-related essential services despite the closure of the JobServe Community Stadium.

The stadium is now shut for all business following government restrictions imposed earlier this week, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the venue will continue with any essential work and services, including any NHS activity.

Waddington told the U's website: “We were already planning a minimisation of activity here at the stadium, predicting the measures coming into practice this week.

“Now they have, only business-critical work will continue during this period, plus any essential services that we work with the NHS on.

“Every single employee at Colchester United has been fully co-operative with each step we have taken as the advice has come through, especially over the past couple of weeks, and I would like to sincerely thank them for that.

“We all hope that the measures we’ve taken, and will continue to take, will have helped reduce the spread of the virus.”

The stadium will continue to accommodate the Giving Blood Service while the U’s say their online shop will continue to trade, at cufcretail.com