NHS staff including midwives, nurses and paramedics walked out again this morning as a dispute over pay rumbles on.

Union members are angry they have not been given their recommended one per cent pay rise and were on strike from 7 to 11am this morning for the second time after taking similar industrial action last month.

Hospital bosses reassured residents all emergency and urgent procedures and appointments ran as normal during the walkout but some non-urgent appointments and routine surgical procedures did have to be rearranged.

Karen Dawber, director of nursing and organisational development at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, said: “We have a good relationship with our union colleagues at the hospitals and whilst recognising their right to strike following the national ballots, we have worked like we did for their previous day of action in October to make sure that all essential and urgent services are able to run as usual during the period of action."