Patients have had their appointments cancelled following a targeted attack at a Birkby hospital.

Huddersfield BMI Hospital on Birkby Hall Road will remain closed until Thursday morning while police investigate a serious assault on a man.

Residents described hearing "shotgun" noises last night and blood has been spotted on a wall and pavement near the entrance to the hospital.

Detective Inspector Mark Atkinson, of Kirklees District CID, confirmed that police thought it was a targeted attack.

A spokesperson for the hospital said: “We can confirm that the hospital is temporarily closed while the police investigate an incident which took place outside the hospital. We hope to reopen again tomorrow and have been in touch with patients who were due to attend.”

If you call the hospital's general enquiries telephone line a message reads: "Due to a major incident, the Huddersfield BMI Hospital will be closed until 7am on Thursday August 23. If you have an urgent clinical query, please call our switchboard on 07824450975.”

One patient, who was called this morning, told us: “They rang at about 8am saying police had closed the hospital due to something going on. They wouldn’t say what.

“I was due to be in for 9am so it’s all very last minute. It’s not been re-arranged - they just said they’d be in touch.”