Hospital's A&E in Leicester makes non-emergency plea

The Accident and Emergency department at Leicester Royal Infirmary is asking the public not to visit, unless there is a real emergency.

It follows a huge rush after the slight thaw in the weather temperatures.

Staff there are redirecting people to use NHS walk-in centres, urgent care centres or NHS Direct instead.

A hospital spokesman said that, because urgent cases were treated first in A&E, non-emergency patients might face a four-hour wait.