Junior doctors are striking for the second time this year today (February 10) in a row over changes to their contracts.

They are protesting outside Whipps Cross Hospital, with junior doctors at the Leytonstone hospital joining thousands of others nationwide.

They left their posts for 24 hours from 8am this morning and over 3,000 operations across the country have been cancelled.

Junior doctors will only provide emergency care until 8am tomorrow.

It is the second strike this year after a 24-hour walkout on January 12.

They say the Government’s proposals for new contracts will reduce safeguards on the number of hours junior doctors can work, abolish increased pay for unsocial hours and cut pay for A&E staff.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt wants junior doctors' working patterns to become more flexible in order to deliver the "seven-day NHS" the Conservatives promised in the general election.

He plans to extend the times of the week junior doctors are paid only basic rates for working, from the current 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday to 7am to 10pm on weekdays and from 7am until 7pm on Saturdays.