Junior doctors have taken to the picket lines for 48 hours as the government digs its heels in over proposed contract changes.

Medics congregated outside hospitals across the county for the third time in protest against new working conditions.

The government proposes a basic pay hike of 13% - but inflated pay for working unsociable hours is to be scrapped.

Ian Rudd, a junior doctor picketing outside Kent and Canterbury Hospital, said there would be nothing stopping health trusts demanding longer hours of their doctors.

"This is particularly about safety concerns," said Dr Rudd, a junior doctor attached to the hospitals urology department.

"Doctors are particularly angry about this, because we know trusts are stretched. So ultimately there will be nothing preventing trusts working us for long hours."

East Kent Hospitals Trust confirmed 27 non emergency operations have been cancelled across the trust.

It is responsible for Kent & Canterbury, William Harvey in Ashford, QEQM in Margate, Bucklands in Dover and Royal Victoria in Folkestone.

Asked if he felt the doctors had public support, Dr Rudd said: "I think people would rather trust doctors than politicians."