TECHNOLOGY developed by a North-East company allowed ambulance crews and race organisers to reach distressed competitors more quickly at the recent Great North Run.

The event is the world's biggest half-marathon and presents major challenges to medical teams as they attempt to look after the 36,000 runners and crowds of more than 30,000 people.

The vital importance of providing swift medical attention to those in need was all too apparent at the 2005 run, during which four people died and a record number of people were taken ill. Last year, one person died.

Newcastle-based Imass, which specialises in Geographical Information Systems technology, was brought in by the emergency services this year to set up a control room at the event.

The control centre monitored the location of each of the 130 radios used by ambulance crew, mobile paramedics, medical centre, race doctors and organisers during the race, many of whom were using bikes and buggies for added mobility.

Being able to track recources via the radios, provided by Imass's partner, Sepura, allowed the emergency services to get crews out to incidents more quickly.

Event manager Simon Swallow said: "We have continually strived to improve the speed and efficiency of communications at the Great North Run, to enable the medical control personnel to dispatch emergency vehicles and medical resources as quickly as possible to a casualty.

"On screen in the control room we could see the exact location of a casualty and which ambulance had the shortest access route to get them to the medical centre most quickly."