A hospital has escalated its status to ‘black’ – the highest level – after a surge in admissions.

St Mary’s Hospital, on the Isle of Wight, made the change to a level 4 status on Sunday evening as more people has been admitted then had been discharged over the three previous days.

The hospital has opened 10 beds in the Day Surgery Unit in a bid to create extra capacity.

Some scheduled inpatient and day surgery has been postponed as a result.

The overall status of health care on the Isle of Wight is currently ‘red’ (level 3).