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The world's smallest pacemaker has been fitted inside the heart of a UK patient, medics have said, according to the BBC. 

The Micra Transcatheter Pacing System was fitted for the first time in England at Southampton General Hospital.

Consultant cardiologist Prof John Morgan said the procedure was a "landmark moment."

He said the device was "not much larger than an antibiotic pill" and was one tenth the size of traditional models.

Currently, pacemakers, which use electrical impulses to regulate the beating of the heart, are inserted under the skin and connected to the heart via a lead.

The lead carries electrical signals to correct slow or irregular heartbeats, but they can require replacement due to broken or dislodged wires.

The new device can be implanted directly in the heart and delivers electrical impulses from an electrode, removing the need for a lead.

Prof Morgan said: "In addition to the advantages of the device's size and wireless technology, the procedure reduces the risk of infection and extended recovery time associated with traditional, more invasive surgical pacemaker implants.

"This a big step forward in patient treatment and a milestone for cardiac rhythm management in the UK."