Army officer cadets at Sandhurst have been banned from consuming alcohol and attending gyms following a "mass outbreak" of coronavirus.

The Royal Military Academy said colleges would also be closed to outsiders and cadets could no longer meet friends at the academy gates.

The academy said the rules were being imposed because cadets had failed to obey health instructions.

Nearly 50 out of 750 cadets have the virus, the Ministry of Defence said.

A spokesman said no-one had been taken to hospital and most were asymptomatic.

Other new measures include a ban on food deliveries to the gates and the cancellation of a military exercise in the Brecon Beacons.

In an internal communication, cadets were told the rules followed "a failure of adherence to FHPI [forces health protection instructions] and with numerous platoons affected by the current mass outbreak within the academy".

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said it had taken "decisive action... following an increase in positive Covid-19 tests" at the academy.

Brig James Carr-Smith, Commander Sandhurst Group, said: "We take the health and well-being of our personnel very seriously and have lateral flow testing, robust social distancing and hygiene measures in place."