LONDON, July 17, 2020, SPA -- Snooker, horse racing and cricket will be the first sports to bring back spectators in England in coming weeks, the British government announced on Friday, in a trial of plans aimed at reopening elite sports to fans more widely from Oct. 1. The government will allow spectators at carefully selected trial events from late July to early August to 'stress test' new guidelines on a return to some kind of sporting normality, Reuters reported. The pilot events include the re-scheduled World Snooker championships in Sheffield, the Goodwood horse racing festival and two county cricket friendly fixtures, including one between Surrey and Middlesex at London's Oval ground. Elite sport in Britain returned without fans last month after a near three-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Strict operating standards will have to be met before reopening to the public, including rules about ticketing, transportation, crowd management and enhanced hygiene measures. --SPA 19:57 LOCAL TIME 16:57 GMT 0011 www.spa.gov.sa/w1372686