The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust regularly breached a key cancer waiting time target during a period stretching over two years, figures show.

Data revealed the target- making sure the majority of patients sent for urgent cancer investigations are seen within two months- has been missed across England for more than half a decade.

NHS England data shows The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust only met the target in four months between April 2019 – when comparable trust-level figures began – and July this year.

In July, just 56 per cent of patients received cancer treatment within two months of an urgent referral- down from both 78 per cent in June.

Across England, 72 per cent of patients received cancer treatment within two months of an urgent referral in July.

The NHS target was last met nationally in December in 2015, while annual performance has worsened year-on-year since 2017.

Cancer Research UK said pressures caused by the pandemic, including a growing list of patients, were a factor, but also laid blame on workforce shortages and insufficient infrastructure.

Professor Charles Swanton, the charity's chief clinician, said: "For people with cancer, every day counts – that is why we have cancer targets.

"I've been working in the NHS for a long time and it’s hard to watch the continuous deterioration, and the anxiety and worsening outcomes this can cause patients."