Ambulance crews racing to the top

Ambulance crews across Greater Manchester are celebrating after new figures revealed the North West Ambulance Service has shot from one of the worst in the country to one of the best.

The organisation was criticised last summer and threatened with a fine after failing to reach enough 999 calls within the target time. An eight-minute target for paramedics to reach life-threatening emergencies must be reached in three out of four cases. 

The service fell short in May and June but after being told to improve, bust the target in the following five months — with performance varying from 77.4 per cent to 80 per cent.

The figures give it the second-best performance in the country.