Letitia said: "We're looking forward to another reunion."

The government says it is working with experts to develop a framework to improve access to activities outside of school.The report is calling for a national Play Strategy for England and has made a number of recommendations including:

Chair of the commission, Paul Lindley, says in England "we've made it incredibly hard for children to play"."Creating truly playful communities is not just about better street design, traffic management, and reduced crime, but also about a reversal of the growing culture of intolerance towards children playing."In London, there are more than 7,000 signs limiting play for more than half a million children, according to the report.

For Samantha and her four-year-old son Chester, who live in Blackpool, having a playground far away from traffic is vital."It's free," she says and it's somewhere her son can play without having to worry "about someone coming to tell him he can't".

"A lot of children are growing up and don't have the opportunity to be able to go to other places or travel, so having somewhere close to home, that is free, is so important."

More than 400 playgrounds closed in England from 2012 to 2022 and annual park budgets have fallen, the report found.Sir Andrew said the case will now be reheard by a different judge, with the next hearing planned to take place in the next few weeks.

A full decision will be given in writing at a later date.Author Andrew Miller has won the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction after being shortlisted twice for the award in the past.

He was announced as the winner at the Borders Book Festival in Melrose, taking the £25,000 prize.His work, The Land In Winter, only just fell into the contest's definition of a historical novel being one which is set at least 60 years ago.