More than 1,200 new cases of FGM recorded in England in just three months

More than 1,200 cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) have been recorded in England in just three months.

Between January and March of this year there were 1,242 newly reported cases of FGM reported across English healthcare providers.

There were 29 instances of children under the age of 18, or 2% of all new cases, who had been subjected to FGM. Of these, 11 were girls born in the UK, according to data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Seven cases of FGM were carried out in the UK.

The shocking statistics have been met with calls from midwives for "renewed and focused" efforts to tackle the abuse.