Bradgate Park and others across the Leicestershire will be open by the weekend, according to county council leader Nick Rushton.

Leicestershire County Council took the decision to close its parks after people flocked to the sites during lockdown ignoring the stay at home message.

But after rules about driving to outdoor spaces for leisure were lifted by Boris Johnson on Sunday night, Nick Rushton, the authority's leader, who is also chairman of the Bradgate Park Trust, says he aims to "definitely" have all parks open by the weekend.

"People are desperate to get out, they are desperate to visit the parks. They are the people's parks, they pay for them, it;s time to get them open," he said.

"This is little lights at the end of long dark tunnels, it's good news but doesn't come without the need for people to apply common sense.

"That's what this new message is all about – common sense. People have been told what's expected of them, we can't have a piece of paper listing every thing you can or can't do. It's about being sensible."

Cafes, toilet blocks and shops will remain closed for now, but car parks will reopen, allowing the parks and Bradgate Park in particular, to start generating much needed revenue again.

"With Bradgate, we've had to borrow £90,000 from the city council and another £90,000 from the county and apply to the government for help because we have not been able to generate revenue mainly from the car park.

"There are still operating costs even when the park is not open, there are still wardens, staff and other things to be paid for.

"Reopening means that we can start doing that again and that is a good thing."

Coun Rushton said that it will be a team effort, with him asking the police for help in maintaining order at the park. He appealed to people to stick to social distancing when visiting.

"We will need people to be sensible. It's a big car park, t's likely to fill up, we'll need help policing that aspect of it all. We're not asking for a police officer to come down and fine people or anything like that, just to help oversee things.

"Above all it relies on common sense. If there's a queue for the parking machine, you'll have to stand a bit further back and maybe wait a bit longer.

"I think people will do as they should, they are desperate to get back into the parks so they will be willing to listen to the advice."

Watermead Park, Beacon Hill and other county sites will also reopen as soon as possible with Coun Rushton setting a deadline of this weekend.

"We will work with the city to coordinate things. A lot of city parks were able to stay open because people can walk to them.," he said.

"A lot of ours, and then Bradgate, people get there by car and that was not allowed under the previous instructions. Now it is.

"Most of them have rights of way and other ways in and out, it was car parks that were closed, people have been able to walk in them throughout and we've monitored that situation.

"Now is the time to start making the small changes we can to give people the chance to enjoy their parks again so that is what we are doing."