AMBULANCE staff have come into work on their days off to help out with emergencies.

Great Western Ambulance Service has attended all 999 calls, although it is taking crews slightly longer to arrive.

The service is also heaping praise on the drivers who have got about town in special 4x4 vehicles loaned by St John Ambulance and the Red Cross.

During the past few days the service’s paramedics, who cover all of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and the former Avon area, have delivered two babies and attended 74 incidents involving people falling over.

Anthony Marsh, chief executive of GWAS, said: “I would remind the public only to dial 999 for life-threatening emergencies. This will allow us to focus resources.”