Four new coronavirus deaths have been recorded at the trust that runs Andover hospital over the Christmas period, the latest official figures show.

NHS England figures show 239 people had died in hospital at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs Basingstoke and Winchester hospitals, as of 5pm on Sunday (December 27).

That was an increase of four compared to Thursday (December 24), when there were 235.

It means there have been seven deaths in the past week, up from six the previous week.

The victims were among 5,440 deaths recorded across the South East.

Daily death counts are revised each day, with each case backdated to the actual date of death.

This means some of the deaths that were first recorded in the latest period may actually have taken place days earlier.

NHS England guidance states: "Confirmation of Covid-19 diagnosis, death notification and reporting in central figures can take up to several days and the hospitals providing the data are under significant operational pressure."

Only deaths that occur in hospitals where the patient has tested positive for Covid-19 are recorded, with deaths in the community excluded, such as those in care homes.

Coronavirus deaths are defined as those that have happened within 28 days of a positive test.