AMBULANCE responses to the most serious emergency calls by the service covering Cheshire are the third worst in the country.

Concern has been raised after the proportion of Category A calls responded to within eight minutes by Mersey Regional Ambulance Service fell for the third year running from 73.7% to 71.2%. The target is 75%.

Only two other services achieved worse results and Mersey Regional was the second worst of the urban trusts.

For less serious Category B emergency calls, to be responded to within 14 minutes, there was a slight improvement from

91.9% to 92.2%. But that remains the fifth poorest nationwide, below the 95% target.

Cheshire councillor Eveleigh Moore Dutton, who is training as one of the service's first responder volunteers, said: 'I was under the impression the service had made significant improvements last time I spoke to the outgoing chief executive.

'This is not good enough. I want to know what's going to happen because things do not seem to be working.'

Janet Pitman, chairwoman of the patient forum for North West Ambulance, said: 'Obviously, we are concerned by these figures and will look into the matter.'

Mike Cassidy, area director for Cheshire and Merseyside, North West Ambulance Service, said the dip in performance for Category A calls should be set against an overall increase in calls and industrial action among technicians.

He added: 'Despite these increased challenges, we have achieved high performance figures overall. As part of the newly formed North West Ambulance Service, we are always looking at ways to improve our service to patients, including improved response times.'