Thousands of junior doctors and consultants in the UK have gone on the first joint strike in the 75-year history of the NHS.

With claims that more than 100,000 operations and appointments were cancelled over the 48 hours of industrial action, the doctors have been accused of “going against the ethics of medicine”.

To deal with emergency cases and basic ward cover, Christmas Day staffing levels were maintained.

But both senior doctors and their juniors turned up at picket lines outside hospitals early on Tuesday morning amid the ongoing disputes with the UK government.