AN MP has revealed some Teessiders are being told to travel more than 70 miles to Bradford for a coronavirus test amid a rise in cases in the region.

Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald said major concerns of “failures and flaws” in the testing system were coming to light as coronavirus cases rose in the town. 

The testing centre at the empty Middlehaven Sainsbury’s is open 8am until 8pm. 

But Mr McDonald said he’d picked up a string of cases where people had been sent out of town, some as far as Bradford. 

The Labour MP added: “A constituent of mine was advised by her GP that due to her symptoms, she needed a test straight away. 

“Although she is a Middlesbrough resident, she was sent to Hartlepool. 

“The test was done and then lost. 

Missing test leaves Bradford mum in limbo

“Another test had to be arranged and she was offered one in either Durham or Bradford.

“There is a testing station in Middlesbrough at the unoccupied Sainsbury’s site off the A66 next to the football stadium.

“Sadly this is not an isolated case.”

The Labour MP said there were “too many instances” where people were being sent long distances for tests.

He called on test centre manager Serco, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson to “get a grip” of testing troubles.  

Mr McDonald said: “We simply cannot expect Middlesbrough people to travel 25 miles at best – let alone over 70 miles to Bradford – for a test when there is a testing facility, that we successfully argued to have, right here on our doorstep.”

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) insisted NHS Test and Trace “is working” with effort to increase testing capacity, “hundreds of thousands of people” being tested every day and new test pilots being launched.

A DHSC spokesman said: “There is a high demand for tests and our laboratories continue to turn test results around as quickly as possible.

“To make sure we stay in control of this virus, we are targeting our testing capacity at the areas that need it most, including those where there is an outbreak, as well as prioritising at-risk groups.

“We are expanding testing capacity to 500,000 tests a day by the end of October – as well as bringing in new technology to process tests even faster.”