Ambulance outside London hospital
© Bethany Clarke/Getty ImagesAn ambulance outside London's hospital
Hospitals across England have reportedly been hit by a large-scale cyberattack. Some are having to divert emergency patients, with doctors reporting messages demanding money.

The Guardian says National Health Service (NHS) hospitals across the country appear to have been simultaneously hit by a bug in their IT systems. Doctors have been posting on Twitter about what has been happening.

A screengrab of an instant message conversation circulated by one doctor says: "So our hospital is down ... We got a message saying your computers are now under their control and pay a certain amount of money. And now everything is gone."

A second doctor tweeted: "Massive NHS hack cyber attack today. Hospital in shut down. Thanks for delaying emergency patient care & endangering lives. Assholes."

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, one of those affected, said in a statement: "Today, the trust has experienced a major IT problem, believed to be caused by a cyber attack. "Immediately on discovery of the problem, the trust acted to protect its IT systems by shutting them down; it also meant that the trust's telephone system is not able to accept incoming calls.

"The trust is postponing all non-urgent activity for today and is asking people not to come to A&E."

Blackpool Hospitals, also affected, tweeted: "Our computer systems are experiencing problems and we are working hard on a solution. We will update you as soon as possible."

An NHS source told the Evening Standard the attack "seems to be growing" with more incidents of hospitals across Britain facing IT problems being reported. No hospitals in London are yet confirmed to have been targeted in the attack.