Hospitals and GPs are continuing to deal with the festive rush but bosses insist it is nothing unusual.

Despite dealing with major increases in the number of people visiting A&E, staff are coping well, according to health chiefs.

A spokesman for Colchester General Hospital said they had very few beds available and were seeing up to 50 patients in A&E every day compared with the usual 35.

Last week all 705 beds were full and operations were being cancelled.

But the spokesman said some non-emergency operations were now being carried out as well as elective surgery.

"This is what we would expect at this time of the year but we are coping well," he added.

At Chelmsford's Broomfield Hospital the influx of people suffering from flu, chest infections and pneumonia continues.

Dr Laurel Spooner, Chairman of Colchester's Primary Care Group, said the considerate attitude of patients had meant the first day of appointments had been busy but manageable.

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