A drive-thru testing centre available for Felixstowe based NHS staff and carers has opened today.

The centre has been erected at the park and ride area at the Copdock interchange, just off the A14, Toys 'R' Us roundabout and the first members of staff arrived from 07.30 this morning to be tested.

It is an invite-only testing centre with only those with symptoms being asked to attend by appointment in their car. All frontline staff will need to go through their own organisations process first or have called the NHS 111 service.

A text will be sent and the person asked to attend where community nurses will take a mouth and nose swab. The aim is for results to be returned within 48 hours with advice on what to do next.

This site is one of the Department of Health and Social Care's testing facilities for key workers – with the first test runs due to take place today. If successful, the centre will then operate seven days a week.

Facilities are in place at Stansted, one is being set up at Chelmsford and there are others at the Hartismere Hospital in Eye, Clacton and Newmarket Hospitals.