More than 2,000 patients in life-threatening situations were waiting for help from paramedics for longer than they should have been after calling 999 last year, the Warrington Guardian can reveal.

Of 7,018 calls that were considered to be Class A or immediately life threatening, ambulances or rapid response vehicles arrived within the recommended eight minutes for only 4,849 of them.

That left 31 per cent waiting longer than they should have done.

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) should arrive at 75 per cent of Class A calls within its target time.

The shock figures were revealed following a Freedom of Information request by the Warrington Guardian.

Helen Jones, MP for Warrington North, said: “I have repeatedly taken up the issue of delays in response times for ambulances in Warrington and am astonished that the trust is still not meeting the targets.

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