PARAMEDICS have said cost-cutting over payments for crews' lunch breaks is endangering lives.

Since July 1, paramedics for the North East Ambulance Service have received an unpaid and undisturbed meal break, meaning they will not be called out even if someone is dying only metres away.

Instead, the nearest working crew will be sent, even if they are miles away from the patient.

Paramedic ambulance crews said the money-saving system has put lives in danger.

Previously, crews would respond automatically to an emergency whatever the time of day.

If it happened to occur during their lunch break, they could accrue extra pay.

Emergency crews on a 12-hour-shift now have two hours off the road - saving the service £1.2m a year.

In one case, a woman died while paramedics were 250 yards away. They were on their lunch break and had not been informed.

The North East Ambulance Service - which covers County Durham, Northumberland, Tyneside and Wearside - has accepted that in two cases in Northumberland, people died after crews were called from stations miles away rather than disturbing a nearby crew that was on a break.

One paramedic said: "It makes us feel frightened and angry.

"It is very upsetting for crews who want to treat these patients and know people are suffering."

An ambulance service spokesman said: "The cases raised are very sad and we would like to express our sympathy to the families."

He said it was impossible to know if the time delay had been a factor in their deaths.