AN ATTACK was launched on a website that provides healthcare services to 700,000 people in Dorset.

Hackers targeted the Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust website after a similar incident last month.

Users were unable to access the site, which includes information on addictions, brain injuries, learning disabilities and mental health illnesses.

Those responsible claimed to be the “Montazer313 Digital Security Team” and posted the message: “We only love Iran and we try to deface the server and site of Israel and USA.”

They also uploaded two photographs of a hooded figure, whose identity is concealed, to the website.

In February, hackers published: “Don’t mess with me. Site totally hacked” accompanied by an image of a penguin emerging from a shattered computer screen holding a gun.

They also wrote: “You call this security. You must be kidding. If you don’t want to get into trouble, patch your admin.”

Acting chief executive of Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust Roy Jackson said: “It is regrettable that information about the trust’s range of services was briefly unavailable to the public but it is important to note that our website contains no personal or patient information and disruptions of this type create no security issues.”

He said the trust has asked its website provider to take precautions to minimise the risk of any further attacks