Health chief Richard Bourne has been sacked by regulators amid concerns about standards at two Colchester hospitals.

Richard Bourne, chairman of Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, was removed from his post by independent watchdog Monitor.

But Mr Bourne, a former Labour county and borough councillor, described the action as "unfair".

He said he believes the action was taken because he refused to resign - and because he was critical of the competition culture being promoted in the NHS.