Anthony Joshua latest: Boxer’s team members killed in crash named

Two “close friends” and members of boxer Anthony Joshua’s team have been confirmed dead following a fatal car crash in Nigeria.

Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele are believed to have been travelling in the same Lexus Jeep as Mr Joshua when it collided with another vehicle on a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway at 11am local time on Monday, according to reports.

Mr Ayodele, otherwise known as Latz, was seen playing table tennis with Mr Joshua hours before the collision. Known as healthy_mindset on social media, he has been by Joshua’s side over the last decade of his career.

Mr Ghami is a physio in the boxer’s team and a friend of Mr Joshua, who is reportedly in a stable condition and has spoken to his family, but was rushed to hospital after he suffered minor injuries in the crash.

The former two-time world heavyweight champion, who is also of Nigerian heritage, was holidaying in Africa just 10 days after his high-profile fight with Jake Paul. Follow all the latest updates, news and reaction from the car crash below:

Adam Peaty changes name after wedding to Holly Ramsay amid family rift

Swimming champion Adam Peaty has changed his name on Instagram following his wedding to Gordon Ramsay’s daughter, Holly.

The celebrity chef was among the stars who attended the ceremony held on Saturday at Bath Abbey on Saturday, and reportedly gave a speech that alluded to the fall-out with Peaty’s parents, who did not attend.

After the wedding, Peaty changed his name on his Instagram profile so it now reads: “Adam Ramsay Peaty.”

The Sun reports that Ramsay, 59, told Peaty he was a “lucky man” as he gushed about how beautiful Holly looked, referring to his own wife, Tana and remarking: “That’s what you have to look forward to.”

Peaty reportedly made a subtle reference to the situation with his family in his own speech at the wedding, by thanking the 200 guests in attendance for their support in a “difficult time”.

The row with Peaty’s family is rumoured to have erupted after his mother, Caroline, was not invited to Holly’s hen do at Soho Farmhouse in Great Tew, Chipping Norton.

Holly shared a number of photos from the celebrations, which were attended by her mum, sisters and a number of close friends.

An Instagram user purporting to be Adam Peaty’s aunt, Louise, commented on Holly’s post: “I’m so glad that you are having a great hen do as a bride you deserve that. However as a person you were divisive and hurtful towards a woman who I have loved and continue to love deeply. A woman who opened her home and heart to you.

“You decided, for whatever reason, not to invite her, your prospective mother in law to your hen night yet Adam invited his father in law, your dad, to his stag night.

“You invited your mum (quite rightly) and even your mum’s assistant, your sisters, your friends, my niece, but not my sister, your future mother in law. I have also seen messages passing between her and Adam (without my sister’s knowledge or consent) about this and other matters and quite frankly I expected better of you and definitely of Adam. You have inflicted a hurt on my sister that will take a very long time to heal if ever.”

Ahead of the wedding ceremony, Caroline also gave an interview to the Daily Mail, for which she was not paid, commenting: “I don’t think they understand how much they have hurt me; it’s as if they have cut my heart out.

“This is the first Christmas that I’ve not had my family together – my family is broken.”

She added: “They are still both loved, there is nothing I won’t forgive, and I want them to have the best day.”

Peaty, 31, is believed to have met Holly through his sister, Tilly, when they both took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.

Holly, 25, announced their engagement on 12 September 2024 in an Instagram post that said: “I am marrying my best friend. I truly cannot put into words how I am feeling right now.”

In a separate post, Peaty said: “I can’t believe you’re going to be my wife. I’m truly the luckiest man on earth to have such a gentle, caring and beautiful woman by my side.”

Peaty, a six-time Olympic gold medallist from Staffordshire, was previously in a relationship with artist Eirianedd Munro, with whom he shares a five-year-old.

His sister Beth, 32, was apparently the only family member who attended the service, as maid of honour with Holly’s sisters, Megan and Tilly, as bridesmaids.

Among the celebrity guests at the ceremony were former footballer Sir David Beckham and his wife, former Spice Girls star and fashion designer Victoria, and their youngest children Romeo, Cruz and Harper.

Channel 5 newsreader Dan Walker posted to social media that it was a “great wedding” filled with “top people”.

Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies, who competed alongside Peaty on the 19th series of Strictly Come Dancing, also wished the couple a “lifetime of happiness together” following their “beautiful” wedding.

She also had plenty of praise reserved for the feast laid on for guests at the ceremony, which she noted was not surprising given Gordon Ramsay’s long career as one of the UK’s top chefs.

“Yesterday I had the privilege of being at this amazing man’s wedding – and it also gave me a moment to reflect on how lucky I’ve been to have him in my life over the past four years,” she said.

“From the first day we met on Strictly, we’ve been firm friends, and it was a real honour to sit in Bath Abbey and watch him get emotional as the love of his life walked down the aisle.

“It was such a special day. Simon (her husband) and I had the best time, the service was beautiful – and I’m sure you’ll not be surprised to hear me say, it was hands down the best wedding food I’ve ever had.

“Wishing my wonderful friend and his gorgeous bride a lifetime of happiness together.”

The Independent has contacted Ramsay and Peaty’s representatives for comment.

Additional reporting by Press Association

Claudia Winkleman rewarded with own chat show after leaving Strictly

Claudia Winkleman, the acclaimed host of Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors, is set to front her own chat show on the BBC next year.

The 53-year-old presenter will launch The Claudia Winkleman Show, which promises a “sofa full of stars” when it airs in spring 2026. The format will see the Bafta-winning broadcaster interview celebrity guests in front of a live studio audience, marking a significant new venture for Winkleman.

Winkleman said: “I can’t quite believe it, and I’m incredibly grateful to the BBC for this amazing opportunity.

“I’m obviously going to be awful, that goes without saying, but I’m over the moon they’re letting me try.”

It comes after Winkleman and her Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly announced their exit from the BBC dancing show in a joint statement shared on Instagram in October this year.

The pair fronted the series together since 2014, and their last appearance presenting the show was during its pre-recorded festive episode, which aired on Christmas Day.

Winkleman’s new show will be produced by So Television, the company behind the award-winning The Graham Norton Show, which currently holds the Friday night talk show slot on BBC One.

Earlier this year, Winkleman filled in for Norton hosting his show while he was in Australia.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment commissioning at the BBC, said: “Claudia is a true national treasure – warm, witty and endlessly entertaining.

“She has an extraordinary ability to put people at ease and bring out the very best in them, whether they’re global superstars or members of the audience.

“It’s very exciting that she will be fronting her very own show on the BBC, and we can’t wait for viewers to join Claudia and her sofa full of stars.”

Graham Stuart, managing director of So Television and executive producer, said: “Graham Norton has made the Friday night talk show slot a dazzling appointment to view. How can you possibly follow that? By booking a host equally as brilliant. So we have.”

In October, it was announced that the BBC had agreed a three-year deal with Norton and So Television, which will see them produce three more series of The Graham Norton Show. The deal starts with the 34th series, which airs in 2026.

Winkleman began her career as a TV and radio presenter for a range of BBC shows including Comic Relief and The Great British Sewing Bee.

In 2004, she joined BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, presenting its weekday companion show It Takes Two until she passed it to broadcaster Zoe Ball, with her taking on the Sunday night results show alongside Daly.

She joined Daly for the main show every Saturday from 2014, and in 2024 the pair took home the best entertainment programme gong at the Bafta TV Awards.

Winkleman also took the best entertainment performance award at the Bafta TV Awards in 2023, for her role hosting hugely successful competition show The Traitors.

She still currently hosts the hit BBC show, as well as its spin-off, The Celebrity Traitors.

She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) this year in the King’s Birthday Honours, for services to broadcasting.

The Claudia Winkleman Show will be available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, and will air in spring 2026.

Celebrity guests and broadcast details are yet to be announced.

Harry and Meghan’s top adviser quits role after nearly a decade

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have thanked their chief adviser for his “stellar support” for nearly a decade after he announced he was leaving his role in Los Angeles to return to the UK.

James Holt, who is standing down as executive director of the Archewell Foundation, said: “Working with Prince Harry and Meghan has been one of the great privileges of my career.”

He will continue to work with Harry and Meghan to support their charity work as the Archewell Foundation becomes Archewell Philanthropies, the foundation said.

Mr Holt first worked with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018 when he took on a media adviser role at Kensington Palace. He then took on the top PR job at the newly formed charity in 2021, following the couple to live in California.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: “James has been a stellar support for us for nearly 10 years. His enthusiasm and talent in overseeing our philanthropic endeavours have been extraordinary.

“As James moves his young family back to the UK, we are proud that he will continue to guide various humanitarian trips for us overseas through Archewell Philanthropies.”

In Mr Holt’s full statement, issued by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s PR team, he said he was “grateful” to Harry and Meghan for “everything they’ve done”.

“Working with Prince Harry and Meghan has been one of the great privileges of my career,” he said.

“From my first project with Prince Harry eight years ago to improve mental health support for soldiers in the British military, to our recent work helping injured children in Gaza, he has consistently challenged me to think bigger about how we can make a difference.

“From the moment I met Meghan, I recognised a kindred spirit – someone who finds joy even in difficult moments and connects authentically with people regardless of circumstance.

“Above everything else, the work we’ve done together to support families affected by online harm will remain the most meaningful of my professional life. These families are extraordinary and they inspire me every day.

“After five incredible years in Los Angeles, it’s time for my family to return to London. When I pass the baton to the team leading Archewell Philanthropies in the coming months, I’ll do so with immense pride and optimism for what lies ahead.

“I’ll miss my colleagues deeply and I’m grateful to Harry and Meghan for everything they’ve done – for me, and for the countless people we’ve worked to support.”

It comes two days after the chief communications officer to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced she would step down after less than a year in the role.

Meredith Maines said in a statement that she will be “pursuing a new opportunity” in 2026 after a year of “inspiring work” with the couple.

Her departure marked the reported 11th publicist to leave the couple’s employ in five years.

Littler aims fiery response at fans after being booed against Cross

Luke Littler laughed at fans booing him after booking his place in the last eight of the PDC World Championship.

‘The Nuke’ was too good for former world champion Rob Cross, prevailing with a 4-2 win at Alexandra Palace, with a raucous crowd delivering a hostile environment.

The 18-year-old was almost pushed to a deciding set, but eventually closed out the match with an average of almost 107 and 17 180s.

Asked about his reception, Littler opted for a fiery response, goading the crowd and thanking them for contributing to his earnings, with a record £1m prize pot for the winner at this year, double his first-place prize in last year’s edition.

“I’m not bothered, really, I’m really not bothered,” Littler said before bursting into laughter.

“Can I say one thing, you guys pay for tickets that pays for my prize money, so thank you, thank you for my money, thnak you for booing me, thank you, come on!

“I’ve just seen the stats but I wasn’t really thinking of anything. I just wanted to win the game. It was hostile, nobody wanted me to win, but I proved them wrong.”

Cross, the 2018 champion, overcame a scruffy start and reduced the arrears to 3-2 after nailing a 126 checkout on the bull in the deciding leg.

Cross had clearly grasped the momentum, and after moving 2-1 up in the sixth set he missed a single dart at tops to level at 3-3 – and was duly punished by Littler who took out the next two legs to reach the quarter-finals.

Earlier, world number 20 Ryan Searle averaged over 100 as he secured his fourth successive whitewash win with a 4-0 triumph over James Hurrell in Monday’s other last-16 clash.

Charlie Manby’s dream World Championship debut continued as he beat an out-of-sorts Ricky Evans 4-2 at to seal his place in round four.

Huddersfield bricklayer Manby, 20, is guaranteed a £60,000 pay-cheque after overcoming his early struggles on the doubles against Evans and now faces European champion Gian van Veen for a place in the quarter-finals.

It was an even contest until Manby levelled the match at 2-2, with Evans suffering a dramatic loss of form.

Manby, who landed just four of his first 30 double attempts, said: “It was frustrating. I should have taken the first set, simple as that.

“I missed doubles, but at first to four there is a lot of time, so I think I recovered well and got my confidence back.”

World number 40 Kevin Doets produced an upset as he beat 15th seed Nathan Aspinall 4-3 in a thriller to set up a last-16 tie against 2024 world champion Luke Humphries.

Dutchman Doets hit back from behind three times in a see-saw battle before racing to victory in the deciding set and making it six straight wins against Aspinall.

After being pegged back at 2-2, Aspinall produced a 170-finish to snatch the fifth set only to see Doets hit a 164-checkout to level it back up at 3-3 and maintain his heavy scoring to win the decider 3-0.

Justin Hood eased through to the fourth round on his tournament debut by beating Ryan Meikle 4-1, despite not hitting the same heights as in his previous match.

Hood, who averaged 103 when knocking fifth seed Danny Noppert out in round two, opened up a 3-0 lead before Meikle responded with 146 and 147 finishes to take the fourth set.

Hood will face Josh Rock in the last 16, after the Northern Ireland star rebounded from losing the first set to cruise past Callan Rydz 4-1.

PA contributed to this report

Five perfect family getaways in Catalonia’s green heart

Looking for a family holiday that combines adventure, nature, and a touch of culture? Catalonia’s green heart is bursting with possibilities, from mountain valleys where flaming torches light up midsummer skies to tranquil wetlands teeming with wildlife. Whether your crew prefers gentle hikes, ancient ruins or ski slopes and riverside trails, this corner of northern Spain offers unforgettable experiences for every age and season. Here are five destinations that prove The Pyrenees of Catalonia might just be Europe’s ultimate family playground.

Located also in Catalan Pyrenees west, near the border with France, Catalonia’s wonderful all-rounder really does have something for the whole family. In terms of culture, it’s a place rich with traditions and history. Kids of all ages will be entranced by the annual summer solstice Fallas festivals, which involve young men carrying flaming torches from high in the mountains down to their villages where they light bonfires and take part in traditional dances late into the night. Even the most heritage-resistant will surely be converted by Vall de Boí’s unmatched collection of astonishingly preserved Romanesque churches, with their evocative towers, atmospheric interiors, and beautiful settings. The area is blessed with trails that will suit the youngest of hikers, like the routes at Salencar de Barruera where you walk along the river following a paved path from a playground to the Salencar wetlands.

Located just west of Andorra near the border with France, the Valls d’Àneu was the first inland part of Catalonia to receive the DTF family tourism certification, and it’s easy to see why. All valleys and peaks, glacial lakes and seemingly endless meadows, it feels like an unspoilt Eden that’s waiting to be explored all year round. In winter, the Espot ski station is a family favourite, with its dedicated beginners area with magic carpets and a drag lift, and its large number of green and blue slopes. Throughout the rest of the year, families flock to one of the region’s great areas of natural splendour: Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, which features more than 200 lakes with breathtaking alpine backdrops, many of them easily accessible on flat family walkways.

A few miles inland from Cadaqués in the Mediterranean, the gorgeous seaside town famous for its postcard-perfect whitewashed architecture, lies one of Catalonia’s big draws for nature-loving families: the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park. A 47km² wetland wonderland, its varied eco-systems are home to an astonishing range of birds and animals from bitterns and marsh harriers to otters and polecats. Parents to budding history buffs are also well-served in the area, which is home to both the Citadel of Roses – a fascinating journey through time that includes Hellenistic ruins, Visigoth-era buildings and Romanesque monasteries – and the archaeological site of Empúries with its reconstructed forum. It also benefits from being one of Catalonia’s culinary hotspots with its highly regarded seafood and excellent wines for deserving mums and dads.

Situated in the west of the Catalan Pyrenees, Pirineus, Noguera Palleresa is a stunning high peak destination that offers a vast range of family-friendly activities. In the snowy season, head to the celebrated Port Ainé ski resort, which has something to suit children of all ages from sledding play areas to treetop adventure parks. In summer, beat a path to the Alt Pirineu Natural Park which has abundant paths ideal for reluctant hikers, many of them with great views of the Pica d’Estats, which at 3143m is the highest mountain in Catalonia. Lovers of adventure sports should head to Sort on the Noguera Pallaresa river, which is the region’s top spot for whitewater rafting with gentle open kayaking for littler kids and thrilling canyoning for teenagers.

The Vall de Camprodon, located in Girona province just North of the town of Ripoll, is famous for its art nouveau architecture. One of the main draws of the Vall de Camprodon is the Ter and Freser Headwaters Natural Park, with its lush valleys and thrilling backdrop of high peaks. It’s a must-visit for aspiring bird-watchers, who if they’re lucky might see Griffon vultures, golden eagles, and Eurasian eagle-owls. Little kids will love the Camprodon Valley Tourist Train, which takes passengers on a 45 minute tour of Camprodon, allowing them to explore the valley and see incredible views of the Pont Nou without too much walking. And everyone will adore the food, particularly the local specialty biscuits, which they’ve been making since the 19th Century.

Plan your sustainable trip to the Catalan Pyrenees at visitpirineus.com/en

Ukrainian POWs ‘systematically executed’ by Russia, says top commander

Prisoners of war are being systematically executed by Russian forces, according to one of Ukraine’s most decorated soldiers.

Major Oleh Shyriaiev, who was awarded the top national decoration of Hero of Ukraine for his leadership on the battlefield, told The Times that he often intercepts transmissions in which orders to kill surrendering troops are given by Russian military leaders.

Combat observers say evidence of alleged war crimes by Russian troops has grown in recent months. Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukraine even as peace talks continue between the US and European and Russian leaders.

Footage taken by Russian soldiers or Ukrainian reconnaissance drones appears to show servicemen being lined up and shot dead after they surrender. One clip, filmed by a drone on 19 November near Pokrovsk, allegedly shows a soldier firing at four unarmed men with a machine gun as they lie face down, then he shoots at another man attempting to flee.

Claimed cases of beheadings are also being investigated by Ukrainian prosecutors, as well as an alleged incident of a Ukrainian soldier with his hands tied behind his back being killed with a sword.

Shyriaiev, who commands the Ukrainian 225th Separate Assault Battalion, said: “The number of executions is growing and this is happening in all directions of the front line. For Russians, there are no red lines … In the wiretaps and radio communication that we intercept, we routinely hear their military leadership giving orders to execute our servicemen who are trying to surrender. This practice has become a systematic one, I would say, in the last year and a half.

“They are demonstrating to the whole civilised world that they can do things with impunity. But also, they are showing that they do not respect the rules of warfare and any international conventions that have been signed by countries.”

Russian forces have executed at least 147 Ukrainian prisoners of war since the start of the war in 2022, with 147 taking place this year, according to the Ukrainian prosecution service, reflecting the commander’s observations.

Yuri Belousov, who leads the war crimes department at the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office, said: “The upward trend is very clear, very obvious. Sadly, their number has been particularly on the rise this summer and autumn. This tells us that they are not isolated cases. They are happening across vast areas and they have clear signs of being part of a policy.”

The United Nations has also recorded a rise in alleged Russian war crimes since mid-November, according to Danielle Bell, the head of the UN human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine.

Prisoners of war are offered protection by international humanitarian law, especially the Third Geneva Convention, with execution being classified as a war crime.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said that Ukrainian prisoners of war have “always” been treated “strictly in line with international legal documents and international conventions” by Russian forces.

The revelations come as US President Donald Trump hailed crucial peace talks between the US and Ukraine as “terrific” but acknowledged “thorny issues” remained before a deal could be achieved over the war with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Sunday, hoping to make progress on the proposed 20-point peace plan, with particular concerns over security and economic agreements.

The two leaders gave little away during a press conference following the discussions, but Mr Trump said he believed “a lot of progress” had been made.

‘A&Es in big trouble as ‘corridor care’ is becoming normalised’

“Howls of outrage” should erupt over deaths linked to extended waits in emergency departments, a prominent medic has declared, warning that the practice of “corridor care” has become disturbingly “normalised” among patients, staff, and health leaders within NHS hospitals.

Dr Ian Higginson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), revealed that only a “few” hospitals across the UK have successfully avoided treating patients on trolleys in corridors.

He issued a stark warning, stating that emergency departments nationwide “are in big trouble,” with this pervasive corridor care identified as the central issue.

Patients are now “not surprised” when they are cared for in a corridor because the issue has been “normalised”, Dr Higginson told the Press Association.

But he warned that doctors “can’t deliver care in corridors”.

Earlier this year the college released estimates that suggested there were more than 16,600 deaths of patients linked to very long waits in A&E for a hospital bed last year – the equivalent of approximately 320 deaths a week.

“If we had 16,000 patients a year dying in bus crashes or in aircraft crashes or anywhere else there would be such howls of outrage something would be done about it,” he told PA.

“And yet, we can’t understand why those awful statistics don’t provoke really determined action at the highest level across governments, and they don’t.”

Separate analysis, released earlier this month, found that almost one in five patients treated in UK emergency departments in March were being cared for in “escalation areas”, which were classed as any area not routinely used for care – such as corridors.

Dr Higginson said: “It will be worse now.”

Asked whether the service was in for a bad winter, he said: “If you look at general trends, things are getting worse and worse and worse and worse and worse.

“NHS England has talked about the green shoots of recovery. We just don’t see those at all. I think that is wishful thinking.”

Earlier this month Health Secretary Wes Streeting pledged to end corridor care in hospitals in England by the next general election, “if not sooner”.

Dr Higginson said that efforts to resolve the crisis in hospitals around the UK are focusing on “bits that they think are quick and easy and cheap” – such as “trying to persuade us not to go to hospital, or looking for alternatives to admission, or setting up things like NHS 111”.

“It’s like trying to put out a fire with buckets of water, whilst at the same time chucking fuel on it from the other side, it’s just, it’s not going to work,” he said.

“The solutions are to make hospitals more efficient; to provide more staff to beds in hospitals and to improve community based and social care so that patients can leave hospital where they need to.”

The emergency care doctor told PA: “Emergency departments across the UK are in big trouble at the moment.

“The main problem we have is that we have patients in our corridors – we’re full to bursting.

“And that’s because there aren’t enough beds in our hospitals for us to admit our patients to, and that makes it really difficult for us to look after our patients properly, because we can’t deliver care in corridors.

“And it also creates difficult working conditions for our staff – our staff at the moment are run ragged, exhausted and suffering from a mixture of either burnout, moral injury or exhaustion, PTSD or a mixture of all of the above.

“And the biggest frustration is that this is a completely fixable problem. We know it is. It just requires the political will, the prioritisation and the leadership to make big inroads in it and to make it better.”

Asked if there were any hospitals that are not treating patients in corridors, Dr Higginson went on: “There are probably a very few hospitals that aren’t. They’re likely to be children’s hospitals and children’s emergency departments.

“But I think you’d find it very hard to find emergency departments that do not have patients in their corridors.

“So it’s a problem that is now so widespread that we have normalised it.

“And I think the fact that we’ve normalised it makes it even harder to persuade people that it’s a problem, because it just becomes an expectation.

“Patients expect when they come to our departments to have to wait a long time, and they’re not surprised when they are in a corridor.

“Staff are not surprised where patients are in corridors and and I think our leaders and politicians just accept it as normal and therefore don’t have the same urgency behind it as they would do if it was something that’s completely abnormal.”

Professor Nicola Ranger, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Doctors and nursing staff are clear that corridor care is unsafe, undignified and unacceptable.

“But what’s almost as shocking as the normalisation of this devastating collapse in care standards is the lack of urgency in sorting it.

“It has been over 18 months since nursing staff declared a national emergency over corridor care.

“The failure to get to grips with the issue means that patients are routinely coming to harm and even dying unnecessarily.

“That situation threatens to worsen further this winter as cold weather hits – it will mean care in non-clinical areas will spread further, as it already has, beyond emergency departments and to wards and other parts of the NHS estate. It is incredibly dangerous.

“Nursing staff want to see a fully funded action plan setting out eradication. This starts with real investment in beds, the nursing workforce in hospitals and the community, and crucially, long-overdue action to boost capacity in social care to improve discharge.

“Patients don’t have years to wait and every day corridor still exists is a policy failure with devastating human consequences.”

Dr Helen Neary, co-chairwoman of the British Medical Association’s consultants committee, said: “Corridor care is a symptom of a broken system.

“Patients are lying in corridors, being assessed in cupboards and treated in waiting rooms because there are no beds and too few staff to provide safe care.

“As any emergency doctor will tell you, this is the everyday reality, not an exception.

“The government says it wants to end this crisis but words have not changed conditions on the ground.

“Unless urgent action is taken to expand properly staffed bed capacity and rebuild core services, corridor care will remain embedded in the NHS and patient safety will continue to deteriorate.”

Official NHS figures show the number of people waiting more than 12 hours in A&E departments from a decision to admit to actually being admitted in England stood at 50,648 in November.

An NHS England spokesperson said: “It is totally unacceptable that patients are waiting over 12 hours to be admitted to a hospital bed, and in some cases, this wait is occurring in corridors.

“The NHS is working hard to free up beds by ensuring patients are discharged as soon as they are medically fit to leave hospital or cared for closer to home by improved access to appropriate services in the community.

“This winter, specialist NHS productivity and regional experts are working closely with hospitals to drive down incidences of corridor care, and ensuring patients receive the quality of care they deserve.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “No one should receive care in a corridor – the situation we inherited is unacceptable and undignified, and we are determined to end it.

“Although things are tough right now and the road ahead is long, our investment and modernisation are making a difference and the NHS is showing signs of recovery.

“Compared to last year, more patients are being seen within four hours of arriving at A&E, and ambulance response times are 10 minutes faster for conditions like stroke or chest pain.”