Eighty-three Britons and 27 foreign nationals who were trapped in Wuhan – due to the coronavirus lockdown – are on a flight back to the UK.

The Foreign Office said medics are also on the flight, which is due to land at RAF Brize Norton at 13:30 GMT.

The evacuees will be taken 180 miles by bus to Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside for a 14-day quarantine period after landing at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire at 1pm.

Originally 150 were to return buy some were being told family members with Chinese passports would be unable to join them. This was reversed hours before the plane was due to depart, but it was too late for some to get to the airport.

Just hours before the new coronavirus had been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization, as the outbreak continues to spread outside China.

As of Wednesday, 161 tests had been carried out on people across the UK – all with negative results.

The UK’s four chief medical officers have said they are raising the risk level from low to moderate.

“This does not mean we think the risk to individuals in the UK has changed at this stage, but that government should plan for all eventualities,” a joint statement said.

Passengers flying from Wuhan are being accompanied by a team of Ministry of Defence medics.