Stoke and Stafford hospitals declare 'major incident'

Two hospitals in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire have declared a major incident as Accident and Emergency staff struggle to cope with the number of patients.

University Hospitals North Midlands, which runs the Stoke Royal Hospital and Stafford's County Hospital said it was facing "unprecedented demand".

The trust put the rise in patients down to a pneumonia outbreak.

Some operations have been cancelled as staff attempt to take pressure off the emergency unit.

Last week, the UHNM trust recorded the worst A&E figures in England, with just 61.3% of patients seen within four hours, compared with a national target of 95%