Axminster MP says ‘thoughts and prayers’ are with the Queen amid health concerns

Tiverton and Honiton MP Richard Foord has said his "thoughts and prayers" are with Her Majesty the Queen, as the nation grows increasingly anxious for the monarch's health. 

In a statement Twitter, the Liberal Democrat MP said he was "very concerned" by the news from Buckingham Palace that the Queen, aged 96, was under medical supervision at Balmoral Castle and that doctors were concerned for her health.

The Queen's immediate family, including her heir Prince Charles, her other children and Princes William and Harry are said to either already be at Balmoral or travelling to be with the Queen, who has reigned for 70 years and marked her Platinum Jubilee in June.

The official announcement on the Queen's health and gathering of the family is unusual, sparking deep concern about her condition.