RESIDENTS in Oxfordshire have been tempted back into parks despite the continuing lockdown, more data from Google suggests – but visits are still below normal levels.

In the second report of its kind, Google used location data to chart trends in people’s movement in the home, retail and recreation establishments, grocery stores and pharmacies, public transport hubs and parks and green spaces.

The first report showed residents were following lockdown rules

In Oxfordshire, footfall increased in all five of the categories outside of the home in the six weeks to April 5 compared to the six weeks to March 29.

Both reports used the five-week period between January 3 and February 6 as a baseline to compare people’s movements against.

The biggest change was in parks and natural spaces, where visits rose to 52 per cent – despite politicians and police urging people to only use outdoor spaces for exercise and not sunbathing or meeting friends.

Google's figures previously showed footfall had fallen by 48per cent, but the latest data shows visits are now only down 29per cent compared to usual.

Trips to retail and recreation establishments had been 87per cent below normal, but have since increased to 85 per cent.

Visits to parks and green spaces had been 48per cent below average, but have since increased to 29 per cent.

Footfall in grocery stores and pharmacies had been 45per cent below normal, but have since increased to 43per cent.

There has also been a rise across the UK.