THE Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust is now providing emergency ambulance cover for people in and around the Stokesley area.

Following a review of service provision, YAS gained full responsibility for the area previously served by North East Ambulance Service at the beginning of October.

And it has established an ambulance sub-station at Stokesley Health Centre where a dedicated rapid response vehicle is responding to medical emergencies 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

The assistant director for operations in North Yorkshire, Vince Larvin, said: "It is the first time the area has had a dedicated ambulance resource which is a huge advantage to the local community.

"The YAS team has responded to 90 medical emergencies in the Stokesley area in October."

The county councillor for the Great Ayton area, Heather Moorhouse, said: "There have been concerns expressed in the district about this new arrangement but after examining the proposals in some detail, it does seem that the public will receive an improved service."

The ambulance service will now monitor the arrangement over the next six months and then report back to the local community.