A DECISION by NHS managers to grant a second ambulance at Consett a 12-month stay of execution has received a cautious welcome from residents.

Bosses at County Durham and Darlington Health Authority say they are prepared to fund a second ambulance to cover Derwentside at a cost of £180,000 for 12 months.

The news was welcomed by the North Durham Community Health Council (CHC), which had slammed earlier plans to cut the service to one vehicle.

In April, it emerged that the North-East Ambulance Service NHS Trust was due to make the cut as part of a package intended to strengthen the region's ambulance service, in order to meet tough Government guidelines on response times.

The decision to agree to keep the second "support tier" vehicle for one more year came after widespread anger.

The move will go some way to placate residents, who were also angered by a decision in July to close Shotley Bridge Hospital's minor injuries unit at 9pm every night.

The chairman of the CHC, Eric Turner, said: "We have been told that they will hang fire with the second ambulance, and that has to be welcomed for the time being.

"To remove one of the ambulances at the same time as reducing the hours at Shotley Bridge minor injuries unit would have been too much for the public to take.

"This is only a stay of execution, if the decision to cut the hours at the unit proves a success."

The new proposal will maintain the status quo on Derwentside - one ambulance remains on call 24 hours a day, while the other is on duty for 16 hours.

Andrew Young, director of planning at County Durham and Darlington Health Authority, said: "After the consultation exercise we decided we will pay for a second ambulance to remain at Consett.

"The second ambulance will be based at Consett, but deployed outside this area - most likely to Stanley and Chester-le-Street."

Steve Whinfield, North-East ambulance service director of operations, said: "This is excellent news for the people of Derwentside.

"I am sure they will view it very positively.