University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) will be on standby for a repeat of this year's New Year's Day slight increase in ambulance arrivals, according to new figures.

Data from the NHS England shows trusts regularly face a rise in traffic on the first day of the year.

January 1 was a busier day for ambulance arrivals at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust this year - 93 patients arrived via ambulance, almost 30% more than the average for the prior fortnight.

Across England, 12,500 people arrived at hospitals in ambulances on January 1, which shows an increase of 4.6%. Before the pandemic, the increase was 11.2% on New Year's Day.

But before the pandemic – on January 1 2020, just before coronavirus struck the UK – there was a decrease, in contrast to the situation across the rest of England, with 3.4% fewer ambulances arriving than the average for the two weeks before.

Those needing emergency transport to hospitals this year will have additional complications to contend with, with ambulance delays hitting their highest levels on record across England.