Junior doctors at Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale Hospital man the picket lines

The walkouts at Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale Hospital started at 8am.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said its members would only provide emergency care.

A spokesman for the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust said "between five and 15" operations and procedures had been cancelled. A clinical audit and governance meeting was already planned for today meaning few operations were scheduled.

A spokesman for the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it had to cancel 19 procedures today but all affected patients had been notified. 

About 30 people were on the picket line at BRI this morning.

Junior doctors on strike at BRI 

Bosses at the hospitals have drawn up contingency plans to cover the strike action, which is taking place because of a row over weekend pay.

Two further days of strike action could follow, with a 48-hour stoppage and the provision of emergency care only from 8am on Tuesday, January 26.

Some 98 per cent of junior doctors who voted in the BMA ballot were in favour of strikes, with two per cent against. More than 37,000 doctors were balloted by the BMA, and 76 per cent took part in the November vote.

Pickets outside Airedale General Hospital are pictured below.

Speaking at BRI, Dr Cara Al-Khayali-O'Leary, 40, said: "It's important we have a safe contract as tired doctors can kill patients. I could not live with myself if that happened to me.

"We need something in place that's safe for our patients.

"The patients will still get the best care today."

Dr Josh Lamb, 33, said: "I'm angry about the government's plans. They are unfair and unsafe."

Eleanor Clegg, 28, a fellow junior doctor at BRI, said: "It's a shame it's gone this far but we have been backed into a corner.

"We need to protect our contracts and protect our patients from doctors working horrifically long hours."

Two further days of strike action could follow, with a 48-hour stoppage and the provision of emergency care only from 8am on Tuesday, January 26.

Some 98 per cent of junior doctors who voted in the BMA ballot were in favour of strikes, with two per cent against. More than 37,000 doctors were balloted by the BMA, and 76 per cent took part in the November vote.

A spokesman for the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust said it had cancelled 62 outpatient clinic appointments which should have taken place today.

Any urgent or fast track (cancer) patients with appointments were seen. A clinical audit and governance meeting was already planned for yesterday meaning few operations were scheduled.

A Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said it had to cancel 19 procedures today but all affected patients had been notified.

Councillor Richard Dunbar, who joined the doctors on the picket line at BRI, said: "I fully support what the junior doctors are doing. The government needs to listen.

"It's about making doctors and patients safe. They work all of the hours God sends and need to get more credit."

Cllr Dunbar said he would be asking if Bradford Council supported the junior doctors' strike at the authority's council meeting on January 19.

The government is intent on introducing a new contract for doctors working up to consultant level to replace one it says is "outdated".

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants to introduce a "truly seven-day NHS". He plans to cut the number of hours on a weekend that junior doctors can claim extra pay.

Mr Hunt today urged the BMA to hold fresh talks on how to improve patient safety to avoid any further strikes.

Under the most recent proposals, doctors will receive an 11 per cent rise in basic pay but extra pay for "unsocial" hours will be cut.

Striking junior doctors should be ordered back in to work if hospitals become unsafe, the NHS's medical director has told hospitals.

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh wrote to hospitals across England telling them to call junior doctors off the picket lines if there are too few staff to maintain safe services.

In response, Dr Lamb added: "The likelihood of doctors being called back due to insufficient doctor capacity is really low as there is a better than normal weekend service today.

"It is just a precautionary thing really. If doctors are ever called, we will be in as soon as we possibly can. Our first concern is our patients."