Hospital workers in Bolton have reported soaring demand "over and above" previous challenges.

This came on Wednesday evening as ambulances and patients flocked to Royal Bolton’s Accident and Emergency department in huge numbers.

The busy wards proved to be some of the most challenging health care staff have had to deal with in rencent months.

A Bolton NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “We are experiencing significant demand and demand over and above what we are usually experienced when we have said we are feeling challenged.

“In terms of helping us at the moment, of course we are always here for those that absolutely need our help, people can always help us by ensuring that they make wise choices in terms of the other help that is available.

“Whether that be your GP, whether that be your pharmacist, whether that be NHS 111.

“We of course are there to help those who absolutely need us and we wouldn’t want anyone to stay away who absolutely does need the services of accident and emergency.

“And so for those of you who maybe could have care elsewhere, it would really help in terms of reducing congestion in the department and help us to focus on those who absolutely need to be here.”

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has repeatedly warned the public over the course of the last year about how busy the A&E department can become.

At its busiest, stats from NHS England have shown patients can end up having to wait for six hours before being seen to, while even the least busy periods can see people having to wait just under three hours.

The warnings have been echoed by other health bodies across the city region, with the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board’s executive lead for acute care Professor Jane Eddleston advising that people should only go to A&E if their conditions are genuinely life threatening.

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She said: “We are making an urgent plea to the public in Greater Manchester to only call 999 or attend accident and emergency departments if their condition is a life-threatening emergency."

She added: “Unprecedented levels of attendance at A&E, staff sickness and increased prevalence of flu and Covid have led to very long waits in emergency departments and for ambulances.

"We urge the public to use alternative services to make use of NHS 111 online and phone services (111 online is for people aged five and over).”