Britain has recorded a further 29,312 coronavirus infections and 119 more deaths in the latest 24-hour period.

This compares with the 21,691 COVID cases and 138 deaths reported on Tuesday.

Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a total of 5,952,756 coronavirus cases in the UK, and 130,000 people have died within 28 days of a positive COVID test.

Meanwhile all 16 and 17-year-olds are to be offered a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended.

The Kingdom will now follow other countries including the United States, Israel and France who have started to vaccinate older teenagers against COVID19.

Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said the decision had been taken after "rigorously reviewed" trials in children and young people.

She told a Downing Street briefing that the MHRA will "continue to scrutinise" the data as the first wave of teenagers come forward to get their jabs.

A second dose for this age group will be recommended after emerging safety data has been scrutinised, the government health advisory body said.

The first inoculations for about 1.4 million older teenagers will be offered in the next few weeks ahead of a return to classrooms for the start of the autumn term and children will not need the consent of their parents to get a jab.

(With input from agencies)