The death toll in the UK has soared again, with 563 deaths and 4324 new cases recorded in one day.

The dramatic spike sees the number of total deaths reach 2352 with almost 30,000 known to be infected, as debate rages on the country's testing programme.

The pandemic has also seen the historic cancellation of some of the UK's most iconic events - none more so than the Wimbledon tennis championships, called off for the first time since the Second World War.

After an emergency meeting on Thursday (NZT) between the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and relevant stakeholders, the inevitable decision was made to cancel the grass court Grand Slam which was scheduled to start on June 29.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, organisers had already ruled out playing in front of empty stands or attempting to take advantage of the postponed Olympic Games by shifting the tournament.

The huge leap in fatalities is 48 per cent higher than the previous day's total of 381 and makes the UK now the fifth worst-affected nation in Europe.

Victims ranged in age from 13 to 99, with the youngest victim in the UK yet dying in King's College hospital in London.