Ben Stokes says the intense media glare focused on England's players during the Ashes cannot prevent them from enjoying the opportunity to tour Australia.

England trail 1-0 in the five-match series following a chastening defeat in Perth, where only two days of play were required. The second Test gets underway in Brisbane on Thursday.

The frenzy of media attention faced by the tourists has been a subject of debate in recent days, after several England players were pictured riding e-scooters around Brisbane without helmets – which is illegal under Queensland law.

Stokes, Jamie Smith and Mark Wood were among those photographed, prompting Ollie Pope to tell his team-mates: "Just put a helmet on next time. Rules are rules."

Stokes and his team-mates have also been followed by drones while playing golf and were pictured visiting an aquarium in Perth, but the England skipper says that close attention is all part and parcel of the Ashes.

"If they [the media] think it is going to stop us enjoying this country when we have time off, then it is not going to do that," said Stokes.

"Australia is the best country to tour away from cricket. There are so many things to do. 

"You can go out and about and see things that only Australia has to offer, great golf courses, coffee shops and easy places to have lunch.

"We are human. We need to enjoy countries when we get the opportunity because we live in England, where it is miserable, freezing cold and dark at 4pm!"

 We've made one change to our XI for the second Test...

Enter stage right, Will Jacks 

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Stokes added that he wanted the younger members of England's group to make the most of their trip Down Under, saying the heightened media attention had not come as a surprise.

"We felt it when we got here. There were cameras in front of the hotel from 8am following us on the golf course, and even when we went out for some lunch," he said.

"No one is doing anything wrong with what's been filmed or photographed. It's about making sure the lads are getting that enjoyment of touring a great country like Australia."

Australia are undefeated across their last nine Tests against England at the Gabba (seven wins, two draws) and have not lost such a fixture there since November 1986. 

However, they have won only two of their last five matches at the venue overall (one draw, two losses) after winning seven in a row there previously.