AMBULANCE crews have been reaching just half of all life-threatening emergency calls within their target times, according to latest figures.

Response times published by the Government show the North East Ambulance Service reached just 50.8 per cent of the category A calls within eight minutes, compared with a target of 75 per cent.

The figure makes the trust one of the worst performing in the country, over the 12 months to March this year.

Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance (Tenyas) fared little better, meeting 52.8 per cent of category A calls inside eight minutes.

Ambulance chiefs say extra resources have led to significant improvements in times since March, but patients' groups have expressed concern.

Peter Johnson, chief officer of South Tees Community Health Council, said the figures compared unfavourably with those of the former Cleveland Ambulance Service, which merged with its North Yorkshire and Humberside counterparts to form Tenyas.

He said: "To have our figures go to that sort of level in a high risk area like this is unacceptable.

"We have been very concerned for a couple of years, although it does seem as though response times have been improving."

Valerie Bryden, chief officer of the South Durham and Wearside CHC, said: "Anyone would like to think that in an emergency an ambulance would get to them as quickly as possible.

"There has been a problem with under-funding for some time and it is going to take significant investment to achieve the target figures across the board."

One ambulance worker, who asked not to be named, said: "We're a long way from providing the sort of service the public expects and deserves and these are appalling figures with the resources they have available."

But Tenyas acting director of operations, Andrew Critchley, said recent improvements had seen them reach 70 per cent of category A calls within eight minutes and they were confident of hitting the target by the end of the year.

He said: "We know 52 per cent isn't good enough, but our staff have made a tremendous effort and our aim is to be one of the best-performing ambulance services in the country."

North East Ambulance chief executive Simon Featherstone said they had recruited 100-plus extra staff and introduced new methods of working, and so far this month response rates had reached 75 per cent