AMBULANCE crews have voted for industrial action in a move that could lengthen 999 response times and threaten major sports events.

Unless a dispute over meal break payments is resolved a damaging overtime ban could be in place within a week.

Such a ban would reduce the number of front-line ambulances available to answer 999 calls and increase response times from Darlington to Berwick.

Major sporting events could also be at risk of cancellation if the union goes ahead with its threat to withdraw cover.

The row between the North-East Ambulance Service and the Unison health union centres on meal break payments.

Under the Agenda for Change proposals, management argues that ambulance crews are in line for substantial improvements in pay and conditions.

But Unison members are angry that the existing arrangement of automatically paying crews during meal breaks is to be scrapped.

Under the new proposals, staff would be expected to respond to calls during unpaid meal breaks.

The ambulance trust has suggested that a payment of £20 should be made every time a break is disrupted or an availability allowance could be paid.

Both proposals have been rejected by Unison negotiators who say the proposals would also increase their members' working hours.

After several months of discussion, talks are deadlocked. Yesterday, the union announced the results of a ballot which endorsed industrial action short of a strike.

Of the 625 accident and emergency staff employed by the North-East ambulance service, 411 are members of Unison.

In the ballot, 294 Unison members voted in favour of industrial action and 19 voted against.

Because the North-East Ambulance Service depends on overtime, any ban would reduce the number of crews available. There are also possible question marks over major sporting events where emergency cover is provided by ambulance crews.

This summer they include a one-day international cricket match between England and New Zealand at Chester-le-Street on June 29, a major international athletics meeting at Gateshead on June 25 and race meetings at Gosforth Park, Sedgefield and Hexham.

Both sides of the dispute say they are keen to reach agreement, but the high profile row is a blow to the Government's bid to introduce a new way of paying NHS staff under the banner of Agenda for Change.

The North-East Ambulance Service is one of 12 so-called "early implementer" sites where the new deal is being tested out.

Ray McDermott, secretary of the North-East Ambulance branch of Unison, said: "If this overtime time goes ahead there will be a dramatic shortage of front-line crews within the first week, this is particularly true in County Durham where there are 17 vacancies."

On the possible threat to sporting events, Mr McDermott said: "If their insurance says they need fully equipped ambulance crews standing by then they could be at risk."

During previous international cricket matches at Chester-le-Street at least two emergency ambulances have had to be permanently on site, he added.

Simon Featherstone, chief executive of North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: "We are committed to ensuring that staff have as few interruptions to their meal breaks as possible.

"But, we need to provide an effective response to emergency calls and if no other resources are available, in the interests of getting to the patient as quickly as possible, we may need to call on staff who are on a break."

Mr Featherstone added: "I'm sorry that we have not been able to reach agreement of the national package of terms and conditions.

"Agenda for Change is bringing substantial benefits for many of our staff, including major increases in salary, annual leave benefits and overtime payments."