The United Kingdom recorded the highest increase in COVID-19 cases since February, with 8,125 new infections reported on Friday.

Official data also showed there had been 17 more deaths, a worrying uptick from the single figure numbers recently reported.

The number of new cases reported in the 24 hours to 9am on Friday is the highest since February 26 when 8,523 infections were reported - more than three months ago.

It comes as England's R-rate rose again, and is now between 1.2 and 1.4. The number is up from last week's estimate which was between 1.0 and 1.2.

When the figure is above 1, an outbreak can grow exponentially but when it is below 1, it means the epidemic is shrinking.

The latest figures from Public Health England (PHE), also published on Friday, show that 42,323 cases of the Delta variant first identified in India have been confirmed in the UK, up by 29,892 from last week.

Chairwoman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus, Layla Moran, said the figures should "set alarm bells ringing in Government".

The Lib Dem MP added: "These figures should set alarm bells ringing in Government as we approach June 21."

"The Government must immediately explain to the public whether this exponential growth suggests the country is in line for a severe third wave, and if so what it is doing to prevent this."

Meanwhile, Labour warned that the pace of the variant's spread put the potential lifting of lockdown restrictions at risk.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "The pace at which cases of the Delta variant continue to rise is deeply worrying and is putting the lifting of restrictions at risk."

"The blame for this lies with the Prime Minister and his reckless refusal to act on Labour's repeated warnings to secure our borders against COVID and its variants."

(With input from agencies)