Snow Joke

Despite paramedics being really busy during our recent bad weather, Berkshire's ambulance service says it's still been getting lots of hoax calls

Newbury paramedic Jo Mildenhall said people have been calling for all sorts of stupid reasons, "We've been working absolutely flat out recently. But people have still been making hoax calls, or calling for unneccessary reasons, like for help with a hangover or a stubbed toe."

South Central Ambulance says these types of calls could cost lives, as it means paramedics are diverted away from a real emergency. Jo said it is dangerous all round, "These calls not only place the people who do urgently need an ambulance at risk, because we can't get to them as quickly as we'd like to, but it also places us as paramedics at risk, because we are having to drive in hazardous conditions."

The advice:

• Decide if it really is an emergency.
• If you have a cut or minor injury, go to your nearest minor injuries unit for treatment.
• You can get advice from NHS Direct if you need help quickly.