A woman who was fined over filming apparently empty corridors in an effort to prove Covid-19 is a hoax has now been banned from visiting hospitals.

Hannah Dean has claimed to be a "registered journalist" and posted images of hospitals across south-east England on Facebook.

But the claims have been branded "untrue and highly disrespectful" amid the ongoing pandemic with one hospital trust stressing that pictures of empty corridors do not mean wards and intensive care units are empty.

Dean, from Fareham near Portsmouth, was warned by police on Sunday not to attend any hospital unless she has a prior appointment, is a dependent or there is a medical emergency.

She was also told to not encourage, endorse or incite another person to breach Covid-19 restrictions.

But the 30-year-old turned up at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester on the same day as being issued with the community protection warning (CPW), Sussex Police said.

On Monday she was issued with a community protection notice (CPN) by Hampshire Police.

Under the terms of the notice, Dean must not attend a hospital site "unless there is a legitimate reason or prior appointment".

Breaching a CPN is an offence and could lead to her being brought to court and charged.

Chief Inspector Jon Carter said: "There are a variety of tactics of dealing with this kind of unacceptable behaviour. We are working together with Hampshire Constabulary to ensure the best avenues to deter this behaviour from continuing are taken.”

Police previously said that Dean’s claims about hospitals had been causing "angst in the community".

The photos of corridors were claimed to be taken at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Southampton General hospital, the Princess Royal University hospital near Bromley, Kent, and St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, West Sussex.

Alongside pictures said to be taken at the Portsmouth hospital, she wrote: "Hospital is the quietest I have ever seen it! I walked all over the hospital, including A&E!

"I know this is hard to get our heads around, but the government are lying to us! And the reason why they’re lying to us … is very disturbing!"

A spokesman for Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs hospitals in West Sussex, criticised the claims saying: "This is untrue and highly disrespectful to all the patients and families affected by Covid, as well as our staff who are working extremely hard in very challenging circumstances.

"We must stress, pictures of empty corridors do not mean our wards and intensive care units are empty."