Large numbers of ambulances seem to be queueing outside Southend Hospital tonight, with staff saying patients are inside the vehicles waiting to be seen.

At least 13 ambulances were seen outside the hospital tonight as the NHS faces increasing pressure this winter.

Staff at the hospital say they are too stretched. One worker who asked to be anonymous said: "Those ambulances will have patients in them waiting.

"There are not enough beds and we just can't do anymore."

It comes after the East of England Ambulance Service urged patients only to call in life threatening situations and said it would prioritise serious calls.

In a joint response Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust and East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) NHS Trust said: “A large number of patients have been arriving at Southend Hospital's emergency department by ambulance, and where appropriate they have been seen in the Ambulance Handover Unit (AHU).

“Since opening on November 7, 2022, the AHU has been helping ease pressure, support the emergency department at Southend Hospital and get ambulances back on the road.”