Visitors again restricted at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced the decision, which also covers Clifton Hospital at St Annes, with immediate effect.

It apologised for any inconvenience and said: "The decision has been made to protect patients, visitors and staff."

The trust only relaxed its pandemic-related restrictions last week after visitors had been barred for the best part of six months.

The relaxation allowed one visitor for a specified hour each day, with slots set for 2-3pm, 4.30-5.30pm, or 7-8pm, with masks having to be worn.

However, the Trust said at the time that it “may have to reinforce restrictions at short notice” amid fear the country is at the start of a second Covid-19 wave.

And it added that “wherever possible” meetings with relatives, carers, and advocates “should be done remotely”.

Visitors were banned at the start of the outbreak, except in “exceptional circumstances”, including loved ones being by a dying patient’s side.

The 'visiting patients' section of the hospiital trust's website said as of Sunday morning: "Due to the rapidly changing situation around Covid-19, and in line with the Prime Minister’s instructions to ‘stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives’, it has become necessary to temporarily suspend visiting at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

"We have not undertaken this lightly and we appreciate that it may cause distress to both patients and their loved ones but we are making every effort to reduce the spread of the virus and minimising the amount of people in the hospital is essential."