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Britain's track and field athletes have spoken of the fear and panic that has spread through their Tokyo HQ after six team-mates had their preparations plunged into chaos on Sunday by a Covid ping.

The half-dozen were permitted to return to isolated training on Monday after returning negative PCR tests.

But the scenario, which unfolded after they came into close contact with an infected member of the public on their flight to Tokyo, has sent a ripple of paranoia through the rest of the athletics squad.

Team GB's preparations were thrown into chaos ahead of the Olympics following a Covid scare

Dan Rowden, an 800m medal hope, described the situation as 'scary', saying: 'I know the guys in the background were working hard to try reduce the length of the quarantine and trying to speak to the Tokyo government.

'One of the higher up people at the BOA randomly spoke to me at lunch and was talking about doing all they could to get the guys out. It is scary.

'I felt for all the people in the quarantine because it is the Olympic Games; you come here you've worked really, really hard. And you come here in really good shape but you've still got bits of training to do.

'To be locked in a room and not be able to do that kind of takes away from your confidence, takes away from your preparation. And then also there's a bit of fear that the same thing could happen to us.

'Those people were on the flight the day before me, so there's a little bit of trepidation that the same thing could happen to people on our flight as well.'

Dan Rowden described the situation as 'scary' after six athletes were forced into isolation

While the names of the athletes who went into quarantine have not been made public, Sportsmail understands the group does not include the main medal hopefuls of Dina Asher-Smith, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Jemma Reekie, Laura Muir, Adam Gemili, Andy Pozzi, Elliot Giles, Keely Hodgkinson or Rowden. Two coaches and two members of headquarters staff were also caught up in the scare.

Relay sprinter Richard Kilty said: 'I wouldn't wish it upon anybody. Every athlete to make it here has gone through a lot. I'm aware that a lot of human beings on the planet have gone through some form of difficulty, or adversity, with the situation. So to actually go to the Olympics, if someone was to come and miss out on their event this close to the Games it'd be heartbreaking for anybody. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.'

Beth Dobbin, who will contest the 200m, added: 'I feel really sorry for the athletes. I do feel like we've come through the riskiest part because that's always going to be the flight because that's where we were with "normal" people. Now we're here in the bubble we're literally not even allowed to leave the hotel except to go to the track.

'It is worrying, it is stressful, but there is no point stressing about it because you can't change it.'

The names of those athletes forced into isolation have not been made public but it is understood the group does not include the main medal hopefuls, such as Dina Asher-Smith