They received 1,229 calls between 11pm-9am including:

19 RTCs (a little higher than a normal weekend overnight):
6 in Herts
4 in Norfolk
3 in Suffolk
2 in Cambs
3 in Essex
1 in Beds

Four patients taken to hospital following exposure to the cold:

Two women in their mid 20s in Wimbourne Road, Southend, at about 4.45am.

A man aged 19 in Great Colman Street, Ipswich, at about 12.50am.

A man (unknown age) in Queen Street, Colchester, at about 1.13am.

A man aged about 40 walking in Edinburgh Way, Harlow, at about 2.50am.

Ambulance paramedics, non-emergency crews and control room and support staff will be providing clinical care 24/7 to the region throughout the festive celebrations.

EEAST is urging everyone to stay safe as we enter the Christmas and bank holiday weekend, and if you need health advice to choose the right health care service for their needs. People can take some simple steps to help themselves, such as stocking up on medication ahead of the holiday to manage any health conditions, taking care when out and about and keeping warm.

Gary Sanderson, spokesperson for EEAST, said: “The Christmas holiday period is traditionally a busy time for the ambulance service and we are encouraging people to take a few simple steps to help themselves and avoid a trip to hospital – something no one wants during this festive time. At this time of year, the public can also help the ambulance service by choosing the right healthcare service for their needs and only dialling 999 in an emergency.”

Remember, always call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, for example:

* chest pain
* difficulty in breathing
* unconsciousness
* severe loss of blood
* severe burns or scalds
* choking
* fitting or concussion
* drowning
* severe allergic reaction
* If you suspect a stroke (Do the FAST test – Facial weakness – can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped? Arm weakness – can the person raise both arms? Speech problems – can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Time to call 999.)

Where to get treatment and advice for non urgent illness and accidents:

GP or practice nurse, you can call even when the surgery is closed and either be redirected to the GP out of hours service or given a number to contact them.
NHS Direct on 0845 4647 will give you advice and information over the telephone 24/7
Visit your a local walk in clinic, there is one in most major towns and cities, where no appointment is necessary.

The East of England Ambulance Service wishes everyone a very Happy and Safe Christmas!

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) were alerted to Titan Lorry Park in Oliver Road at 5.58pm.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “The two men received injuries after a collision with a HGV trailer. One man in his 30s was taken to Darenth Park Hospital in Kent with abdominal and chest injuries.

The other was slightly injured and he was taken to Basildon Hospital for further care.”

Two ambulances and a rapid response car attended the scene.

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) were alerted to a report of an injured boy on Roseview Clifford Road in Chafford Hundred at 3.23pm.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “The young boy was treated and stabilised at the roadside by the ambulance crews before he was taken to Basildon Hospital for further care to a suspected fracture to his leg.”

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) were alerted at 7.35am to a report of a man crushed between a lorry on Arisdale Avenue in South Ockendon.

An ambulance, a rapid response car and an officer were sent to the scene.

Due to the nature of the call, the Hertfordshire Air Ambulance was called to assist at the incident.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “We believe the man who is 28-years-old was working on a lorry when the collision took place. The ambulance crews already at the scene worked closely with the critical care team from the helicopter before the patient was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel by land with a serious foot injury.”

The matter was initially in the hands of the Health and Safety Executive before being passed back to Essex Police, who are treating this matter as a road traffic collision.

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) were alerted shortly after 9am to a report of a man who had injured himself after falling off a ladder in a windmill in Stifford Clays Road in Orsett.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “The man who we believe to be in his 50s sustained a back injury during the fall. Paramedics treated the man and gave him pain relieving drugs to ease the pain whilst they removed him with the help of the fire service from the fourth floor of the windmill.”

Gary added: “Paramedics worked extremely hard to remove the patient safely from the fourth floor down to the first floor which led onto a balcony where he was lowered down to ground level. Following this, he was taken to Basildon Hospital for further assessments.”

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has a comprehensive tried and tested contingency plan in place to ensure an emergency service is maintained and will provide a normal service as far as possible. To help EEAST ensure those patients in the greatest need get the treatment they require, the public is asked to only call 999 in a real emergency.

Alan Murray, Director of Service Delivery, said: “A considerable amount of contingency planning has taken place in preparation for Wednesday. As always we are urging the public to ring for an ambulance only in an emergency. If you are experiencing chest pains, have difficulty in breathing or someone is having a suspected stroke, please call for an ambulance immediately.

“If your condition can be treated by other NHS services then this will free up ambulances to get to someone who could be in a real life-threatening situation so please think before you dial 999. Our priority is to ensure we continue to answer emergency calls to those patients in the greatest need. Please only call 999 in an emergency.”

Remember, always call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, for example if they have:

* chest pain
* difficulty in breathing
* unconsciousness
* severe loss of blood
* severe burns or scalds
* choking
* fitting or concussion
* drowning
* severe allergic reaction
* suspected stroke symptoms according to the FAST test: If they have facial weakness (difficulty smiling or drooping mouth or eye), arm weakness (difficulty raising arms, speech problems (difficulty speaking clearly and understanding others) then it’s time to call 999.

There are a raft of other more appropriate ways to get help, treatment and advice for non-urgent illness and accidents, for example:

- Your GP or practice nurse. You can call even when the surgery is closed and either be redirected to the GP out of hours service or given a number to contact them.

- NHS Direct on 0845 4647 will give you advice and information over the telephone 24/7

- Your local walk-in clinic, there is one in most major towns and cities, where no appointment is necessary.

A rapid response vehicle was on scene in five minutes, backed up soon after by an ambulance crew, Thurrock’s acting duty manager Ian Bruce, and the air ambulance.

RRV paramedic Ricky Walker said: “When I arrived I was shown where the crane had toppled over onto its side. On these cranes, the driver’s cab is situated about 10 feet from the ground, and in this case the impact had caused the driver to fall out through the glass cab.

“His colleagues were initially able to speak to him and to give him reassurance that help had arrived.”

Ian added: “We worked very hard to save the patient, including life-support and other critical care procedures. However, despite all of our care and treatment, his condition rapidly deteriorated and we sadly declared the patient deceased at the scene. Our thoughts are with the family.”

The driver is believed to have been in his mid-40s and from the local area.

No other casualties were involved in the incident.

The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) were alerted to Herns Way in Grays at 7.02am. A rapid response car and ambulance from Thurrock station attended the scene.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “The man who we believe to be in his 30s was taken to Basildon Hospital with chest pains.”

She spotted the 11-year-old girl trapped behind the sea wall at the popular recreation spot.

East of England Ambulance Service was called at about 1040 BST but when paramedics and an RNLI crew arrived, the girl had been pulled to safety.

She was assessed by paramedics before being taken to Basildon Hospital for observations.

Gary Sanderson, a spokesman for the ambulance service, said: “The mystery life-saver took off her jacket, laid across the boggy mud and sprawled over it to grab the young girl.

“This woman’s selfless and quick thinking has no doubt saved this young girl’s life.

“She has put her own life at risk to save a child who was in grave danger.”

They regularly take mums-to-be into hospital when the time has come to give birth; but it’s not so common for the crew to end up delivering the little bundle of joy! That’s what happened to paramedics Paul Jenner and Laura Chaplin when they attended a Purfleet mum back in March. And last week, they met up with the family to see how baby Zach Barrett was getting on.

Karly, 28, and husband Richard, 30, were at home in Water Lane on March 2 when the contractions started. Karly, who wasn’t due for another couple of weeks, said: “Everything started at about 5pm the evening before, and by about 1am I couldn’t get out of bed. I was getting bad pains but I didn’t think it was labour.”

Richard added: “I still thought we could get to hospital but from looking at her face I thought ‘oh dear, something’s happening’ so I called 999.”

Paul and Laura were at the Barrett’s home in nine minutes, following the call at 1.52am. Laura said: “99% of the time we wouldn’t expect an imminent delivery and would just convey to hospital.

“But when we got to Karly, it all changed! I grabbed a maternity pack as the birth had really progressed and the head was further out.”

Laura was reassuring Karly and Richard – who had until then followed instructions from call taker Michelle Vickers – while Paul was taking care of the delivery. He said: “Before we know it, Zach was out and we gave him a rub down; he was a little bit blue and we gave him some oxygen but otherwise he was perfectly fine.”

Within just one hour, Paul and Laura had attended and delivered Zach and were taking Karly to hospital where a midwife was on hand to meet the newborn, a little brother for Hayden, 2.

When everyone met at Thurrock station last Wednesday, they reflected on just how quickly everything happened. It was Laura’s first ever delivery, and she said: “I’m so pleased to see him alright and looking well. We practice for these things when we train, but to actually do it is something else.”

Karly said: “I just couldn’t move, but perhaps 15 minutes earlier I might have made it out, and Zach would have been born in the car. It’s been lovely to see Paul and Laura again.”

For Paul, it was the eighth delivery he has made: “Bringing a new life into the world is a very pleasurable part of the job, and it’s great that Zach is doing so well.”

Richard said if it wasn’t for the ambulance service, the outcome might have been very different: “When I saw the crew at the door, I don’t think I’ve ever been so thankful to see someone! It was a very special delivery and I can only thank Paul and Laura, and the call taker, for their help.”

The road traffic collision took place at 8.30 am on Feenan Highway.

Two ambulances raced to the scene.

The boy was treated for injuries to the face and abdomen and conveyed to Basildon hospital.

The East of England Ambulance Service Trust has seen a sharp rise in 999 calls over recent days, particularly to road traffic collisions, people who have fallen and those with breathing problems, which, along with the winter weather, is putting pressure on resources.

As well as the west and south of the region suffering the more extreme of the snowy conditions, the cold weather is of course prevalent throughout the region and is set to continue.

During the next few days, Christmas shoppers should be very careful out in high streets to avoid falls, and take extra care if you’re making longer journeys to do your festive shopping.

Bosses are urging people to consider if their condition can be dealt with by a wealth of other NHS services, such as NHS direct, out of hours doctors and walk in centres, and only call 999 in a genuine emergency, otherwise they could be taking help away from the people who really need it.

Over the weekend crews went out to more than 6,000 calls, a rise of nearly 20pc compared to four weeks ago . Out of these 2,300 were the highest priority category (Cat A calls).

Members of the public are also being asked to be good neighbours and check up on any vulnerable people living nearby.

The Trust is reassuring patients that while the wait for an ambulance may be longer than usual help is on its way and not to take up more resources by calling again unless their condition changes.

Hayden Newton, chief executive of the Trust, said: “We had one of our busiest weekends ever over Friday, Saturday and Sunday and it looks as if high demand is set to continue along with the difficult weather conditions.

“We want to thank the public for their patience so far but are appealing again for people to be sensible and helpful. If your condition can be treated by other NHS services that frees up an ambulance to get to someone who could be in a real life-threatening situation so please think before you dial and don’t call us again if help is already on its way unless your condition changes.

“Our priority is to ensure we continue to answer emergency calls and respond appropriately to each of them wherever that emergency is. But the time and resources involved in attending people who don’t really need an ambulance means we can’t get to those who are more seriously ill.

“Please also think about any vulnerable people living nearby as well as friends and relatives whose lives could be saved by a simply call to check they are coping.”

Remember, always call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, for example:

* chest pain
* difficulty in breathing
* unconsciousness
* severe loss of blood
* severe burns or scalds
* choking
* fitting or concussion
* drowning
* severe allergic reaction
* If you suspect a stroke (Do the FAST test – Facial weakness – can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped? Arm weakness – can the person raise both arms? Speech problems – can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Time to call 999.)

If you’ve got flu:

* The ambulance service should not be contacted regarding flu unless it is a serious case that might require hospitalisation.
* Stay at home, keep warm, drink plenty of fluids to remain hydrated and take ‘over the counter’ medication such as paracetemol or ibruprofen
* For those people identified as being at greater risk of serious complications, get in touch with your GP via telephone. This includes people with chronic underlying medical problems such as asthma or breathing difficulties; pregnant women; as well as the very young and very old.
* Where we do attend patients with flu, we will try to treat as many as we can at home to reduce the pressure on hospitals.

Where to get treatment and advice for non urgent illness and accident:

GP or practice nurse, you can call even when the surgery is closed and either be redirected to the GP out of hours service or given a number to contact them.
NHS Direct on 0845 4647 will give you advice and information over the telephone 24/7
Visit your a local walk in clinic, there is one in most major towns and cities, where no appointment is necessary.

With a significant increase in demand across Thurrock, the East of England Ambulance Service Trust is appealing to those considering calling 999 for an ambulance to only do so if it’s really necessary.

Snow and icy conditions and a big rise in 999 calls across the whole region is presenting challenges but Bedford, Essex and Hertfordshire are worst hit with the weather.

Because of the road conditions some vehicles are experiencing difficulty en route to patients and, along with the rise in call demand there have been issues in getting to some 999 calls so that some non-emergency cases might have to be prepared to be patient and wait a little longer than usual.

We are of course continuing to prioritise the most urgent calls, hence the advice to dial 999 only in an emergency and to make use of other NHS resources for other conditions.

Questions to ask before dialling 999 are for example, whether the patient is experiencing:

* chest pain
* difficulty in breathing
* unconsciousness
* severe loss of blood
* severe burns or scalds
* choking
* fitting or concussion
* drowning
* a severe allergic reaction
* stroke symptoms(Do the FAST test – Facial weakness – can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped? Arm weakness – can the person raise both arms? Speech problems – can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Time to call 999.)

If not, patients are being asked to consider whether a condition or injury can be dealt with by a wealth of other local NHS services.

Neil Storey, associate director for emergency operations at the Trust, said: “We work hard to ensure we deliver as normal service as possible and continually improve our response to those who are seriously ill or in life threatening situations, whatever the circumstances.

“But we must stress that people who do not need emergency treatment must be prepared to be patient. If your injury or illness can managed in another way it means our response to patients who really do need us – those in a life-threatening of very serious condition – can remain our top priority.”

Where to get treatment and advice for non urgent illness and accident:

* GP or practice nurse, you can call even when the surgery is closed and either be redirected to the GP out of hours service or given a number to contact them.
* NHS Direct on 0845 4647 will give you advice and information over the telephone 24/7
* Visit you GP led health centre, a local walk in clinic, there is one in most major towns and cities, where no appointment is necessary.

Remember, always call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.