VOLUNTEER paramedics have raised serious fears over ambulance call-out times in West Craven.

First Responders - trained medics who are called out to emergencies - say that ambulances have been taking longer and longer to reach casualties in recent months.

They are also concerned that Barnoldswick's ambulance is often out of the area, meaning that crews are travelling from as far afield as Clitheroe and Trawden to potentially life-threatening incidents in West Craven.

And in a further worry, a First Responder claimed that their efforts were being included in the figures for call-out times in an attempt to disguise the effects of the downgrading of Burnley's accident and emergency department.

Last October, the Herald used the Freedom of Information Act to find out how long ambulances took to get to emergencies in the BB18 postcode area.

The request, which was timed to coincide with the decision to remove "blue light" facilities at Burnley, found that the average time of 10 minutes and 54 seconds was almost two minutes longer than the rest of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

The journey time to hospital from West Craven was nearly 55 minutes.

However, the North West Ambulance Service said that both times were typical of rural areas like West Craven and met the Government's one hour "call to needle" target.

It also said that the expensive but life-saving drug Tenecteplase, which unblocks arteries, had been installed in all ambulances as part of a plan to reduce dependence on hospitals.

On Wednesday the First Responder, who asked not to be named for fear of disciplinary action from health bosses, said that ambulances were taking "longer and longer" to appear.

He said: "The one in Barnoldswick is very, very rarely there. It's always out due to the restructuring so I'm seeing more and more crews from outside of the area coming to call-outs."

He added: "We were told that First Responders don't count towards the stats but I've been told by ambulance crews that they do now, so no wonder they're meeting their targets."

And he added that arguing that Tenecteplase would limit the impact of increased call-out times was misleading, as the drug would be no good to patients experiencing cardiac arrest.

He said: "With all the good will in the world you're not going to get any ambulance from say Burnley to Barlick in eight minutes (a crucial time for resuscitation).

"It's all right them saying they're putting these things in the ambulance but they're taking longer to get there in the first place. It's going to be an absolute nightmare if they do shut Burnley."

The volunteers initially raised the issue with councillors. In Barnoldswick, new town councillor and firefighter Richard Whiteley has taken a special interest in the matter.

Coun Whiteley said: "I have a big issue with protecting public services as a firefighter.

"We've got enough problems of our own at Harrogate fighting battles to keep the emergency services. Technology can improve but the quicker the time response is the better."

Meanwhile, in Earby, Coun Chris Tennant has pledged to use Pendle Borough Council's scrutiny review committee and, if necessary, the Freedom of Information Act to look into the issue.

He said: "It's a bit disappointing and worrying. What we didn't want to happen appears to have happened."

There are 11 First Responders in West Craven and between them they attend around one medical emergency per day. The group has to raise funds of around £10,000 per year to provide its own equipment and even has to pay to refill oxygen bottles after treating a patient.

A statement from the North West Ambulance Service disputed the claims, saying it had continued to meet Government targets.

The statement said that Burnley General Hospital's A and E department was still fully functioning but "regular dialogue" with East Lancashire Hospitals Trust would ensure that, once critical care was transferred to Blackburn, NWAS could continue to "serve the people of East Lancashire effectively".

The statement added: "There is an ambulance based at Barnoldswick station, but if this is already deployed then the next request for an ambulance will be met by the closest vehicle which can be resourced be that one based at Nelson, Burnley or Clitheroe. "The trust has no vehicles based at Trawden."

The NWAS also said that First Responders had always been included in the figures for response times.