Northampton and Kettering General Hospital set out direct appeal to public after 'very high demand' this weekend

Both of Northamptonshire's hospitals have directly asked the public to think twice before visiting A&E after struggling with "very high demand" this weekend.

Both Northampton and Kettering General were already reporting a strain on services before the weekend under the stress of winter pressures.But in a message earlier today, both hospitals appealed directly for residents not to add to their workload and only visit in an emergency.

"Both KGH and NGH are seeing a very high demand for our services," said a spokesperson through the Kettering General Twitter account.

"Please remember A&E is here for urgent and immediately life-threatening cases. Please consider alternatives, such as NHS 111, your local pharmacies or the Corby Urgent Care Centre.

"Please share this message."

It comes after Northamptonshire County Council public health consultant Rhosyn Harris warned people residents both hospitals were under stress at a press conference on Friday (December 4).

"There are huge pressures on our acute services and it is vital that all of our community does as much as they can to reduce transmission," she said.