A new app, which aims to help people get physically active and build healthy habits through the power of group psychology, teamwork and friendship, has launched after securing £500,000 worth of funding.

Magic Mountain is a socially interactive tool which allows users to set activity-based goals, share them with other individuals and collaboratively track progress.

Using calories as a measure of output, the app syncs with the Apple Watche and Healthkit, with the ability to add manually logged workouts too.

By forming “teams” with their friends, users can collectively share their goals and track progress live as their avatar ascends a virtual mountain.

A chat function allows the team to communicate, celebrate goals together and share selfies after each activity.

Magic Mountain is free to download from the App Store and will be available for Android soon.

"We're launching during a period of unprecedented uncertainty and aim to provide people across the UK with a solution for maintaining their physical wellbeing and connectivity with friends, family and colleagues in the wake of social distancing measures and relative isolation," a spokesperson for Magic Mountain said.

"As such, the app has attracted a significant level of investment in the past month alone, with £250,000 raised in April to add to existing fundraising levels of £250,000. The total investment of £500,000 over the past six months will be used invested into technology updates and increased marketing activity."