Women’s Super League champions Chelsea have resumed training for the first time since clinching the 2019-20 title.

Emma Hayes’ side were awarded the league on a points-per-game basis after the coronavirus pandemic led to the rest of the season being abandoned.

The Blues were one point behind rivals Manchester City when the season was suspended, but because they had a game in hand it meant they had a better ratio of points to games played.

Despite the men’s team returning to action in mid-June, it has taken another month for the women’s players to get back to the training ground.

And on Monday, Chelsea showed off some pictures of the players enjoying life back on the pitch.

Among those who re-joined training was England striker Fran Kirby, who has not featured in a game since November when she was diagnosed with pericarditis, a condition which causes inflammation around the heart.

Speaking back in May about fighting the illness, she said: "Physically I wasn't able to do anything. I wasn't allowed to do any walking, anything that would stress my heart or stress me.

"I was so tired, I couldn't move really. I was fed up. I came back a couple of times to try and train but just had another setback, and then another setback. 

"But each time I was able to train for longer without having symptoms. Then I would experience symptoms for a week or two."

But now the Lioness, who has scored 55 goals for Chelsea and 13 times for her country, appears to be on the mend.

Organisers are hoping to get the 2020-21 WSL season underway on the weekend of September 5-6.