AS few as 42 per cent of calls to potentially life-threatening incidents are being answered within the target time of eight minutes in part of Suffolk. Response times in May and June fell well below the target of 75 per cent laid down by the government.

By Jessica Nicholls

AS few as 42 per cent of calls to potentially life-threatening incidents are being answered within the target time of eight minutes in part of Suffolk.

In May and June in South Suffolk, response times fell well below the target of 75 per cent laid down by the government.

In Needham Market in June, the figures fell as low as 42 per cent and 50 per cent in central Stowmarket.

The figures are even lower than those of North Norfolk, which is notorious for its slow road network.

During the last year the East Anglian Ambulance Service has taken pride in its success in reaching the 75 per cent target – but that figure is an average for the region and in some areas the percentage figures drop dramatically.

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