AMBULANCE crews in the North-East dealt with more than 2,500 calls between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas) received 444 calls from midnight on Tuesday to midnight on New Year's Eve.

From 12.01am on New Year's Day until 4.30pm the service received 562 calls.

A year ago, control room staff dealt with more than 1,050 calls on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

This year the majority of calls were falls, assaults, drink and drug incidents, breathing difficulties and chest pain.

A Tenyas spokeswoman said: "It has been quite sporadic but busy. We don't seem to have seen too much of an increase on last year."

Paul Liversidge, North-East director of accident and emergency services, said demand had increased dramatically over the New Year festivities and he praised all staff for coping so well.

He said: "The New Year period has again proved to be extremely busy.

"Combined with the bad weather conditions this puts immense pressure on our staff but they have all worked extremely hard.

"I would also like to thank the voluntary agencies, St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross."