A 20-year-old man has been charged with attacking a 39-year-old female health worker and two security guards in the grounds of a hospital near Bristol.

The charges come after two separate incidents involving NHS staff in 24 hours, provoking renewed interest in NHS security.

Dean Locke, unemployed, of Southmead near Bristol, will appear in court on Monday charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the health worker.

He also faces a charge of causing grievous bodily harm to a 54-year-old security guard, and actual bodily harm to a 32-year-old security guard.

The 39-year-old married mother-of-three was attacked outside Southmead Hospital near Bristol 0630GMT on Friday.

Critical

It is understood she had parked her car and was walking alone to a general ward.

She was in a critical condition, unconscious, in another Bristol Hospital to which she was transferred on Saturday.

Two security guards who gave chase suffered facial injuries.

In a separate development, another man has appeared in court charged with attempting to murder a GP who was stabbed at his surgery.

Matthew Richards, 29, of Swanley, Kent, appeared before Maidstone magistrates on Saturday charged with attempting to murder Dr Ian Boorman, 50.

He was remanded in custody until Tuesday, when he will appear before Sevenoaks magistrates.

Dr Boorman was stabbed in the back during a consultation in his surgery in Swanley.

His condition was said to be "stable and comfortable" on Friday after he was transferred from intensive care.

The GP, one of five doctors at the surgery, is also a lieutenant-colonel in the Territorial Army based with the Battlefield Support Team at the Keogh barracks in Aldershot.