A doctor at the centre of an investigation into the death of a patient, is no longer at work.

A locum is to take over the duties of Dr Thomas White at the Fisher Medical Centre in Skipton.

Dr White, 46, pictured, has been questioned by Skipton police in connection with the death of a female patient. He has not been charged but was released on police bail on Thursday evening after questioning by detectives, which lasted most of the day.

Dr Gavin McBurnie, director of Primary Care at North Yorkshire Health Authority said: "The doctor will not be at work for the foreseeable future.

"The authority has agreed to fund the appointment of a locum in order to maintain services to patients."

He added that he was not in a position to offer any information relating to the police investigation.

A police spokesman said: "The doctor is on police bail until March 3."

"We can confirm the dead woman was a patient and stress that the investigation concerns a single, specific death.

"We cannot confirm the identity of the dead woman at this stage at the request of the bereaved family."

Dr White, who lives in Westbank Road, Skipton, spent most of Thursday being quizzed before being released without charge.

The GP has worked in Skipton about ten years. His wife Helen is also a doctor and works at the practice and they have two young sons.

A patient Corinne Hill, 38, of Skipton, who was treated by Dr White when recovering from breast cancer, described him as "quiet and approachable."

"He is a lovely man. He treated me throughout my breast cancer recovery. I have complete confidence in him and his wife.

"I don't know him socially but as a doctor he is very considerate and caring."