A HEALTH boss has voiced his outrage at 'toxic' videos filmed at Worcestershire hospitals by men denying the impact of coronavirus.

A police investigation is currently under way after 'fake news' videos were taken at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Alexandra Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital and circulated on social media.

In one video, a man who is believed to be from Bromsgrove, allegedly visited Alexandra Hospital on January 1 claiming there was "nothing going on" and suggested the hospital was 'quiet'.

He said he was visiting hospitals to see for himself how "overwhelmed they are," later encouraging others to do the same. He said: "I am not easily misled."

Another video uploaded a day later, allegedly taken a Kidderminster Hospital, shows a group of men entering the hospital before leaving shortly after. A man said they were filming to "prove a point," claiming "this isn't a pandemic."

One man also allegedly filmed inside Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

The videos have been dismissed as 'reckless and 'ignorant' by Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

He said: “I am sure anyone who saw or heard about these videos would share my sense of disgust and outrage that anyone would seek to peddle such toxic fake news while NHS staff across the country are facing the devastating impact of the pandemic every day.

“Their actions were reckless and their agenda of denying the impact of Covid is both ignorant and potentially life threatening.

"We have a very difficult job to do and this kind of stupidity risks damaging staff morale at the worst possible time.”

West Mercia Police have confirmed that they are liaising with West Midlands Police for the investigation.

Chief Inspector Ed Hancox said: “Following reports that individuals were entering hospitals in Worcestershire to film, a number of men voluntarily attended Kidderminster Police station to discuss the matter.

"At this time no arrests have been made and no fixed penalties have been issued but an investigation remains ongoing into potential breaches of the Covid-19 regulations.”