A judge has ruled that he will not put California’s new assisted-suicide law on hold while a group of doctors are challenging it – though it will be allowed to continue.

The state's assisted-suicide law, voted in last year by lawmakers, took effect in June.

Compassion & Choices, a group backing the law, said 30 people are known to have taken advantage of it to hasten their own deaths.

The group of doctors, backed by the American Academy of Medical Ethics - also known as the Christian Medical and Dental Society - had sued to suspend the law while their challenge proceeded.