A PADGATE mum, who had a frightening experience waiting more than two hours for an ambulance after being involved in a car crash, has said she is worried the service appears to be so understaffed.

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has revealed last week was the busiest ever since their formation in 2006 with the surge in 999 calls expected to continue into the festive season.

The Trust reported last week alone there were an extra 2,152 calls, a 9.6 per cent increase or an extra 307 per day, and an extra 1,137 red incidents (or life-threatening calls) - 14.5 per cent or 162 per day.

Mum-of-two Angela Edwards was one of the many patients left waiting as a result.

The 30-year-old was spun 180 degrees in her car following a crash on Padgate Lane last Thursday and said she was worried about her daughters Elle, aged 11, and Francesca, aged seven who were in the car with her.

She added: "My daughter had banged her leg so I wanted to get her checked over and police kept telling me not to move after I had really sharp pains going up my back so I just had to sit and wait in the car.

"We rang at 4.45pm but the paramedics finally arrived at 7.20pm.

"Luckily a really nice couple brought me a blanket and took my girls inside to keep them warm.

"It was so scary and I was in so much pain by then.

"The ambulance staff were so nice and it's not their fault there were more life-threatening cases but they are so understaffed and it's worrying to think it could have been much worse."

An NWAS spokesman apologised for the delay and said at the time of the first call, crews were dealing with 18 immediately life-threatening and potentially life-threatening calls which had to take priority.

He added: “The Trust is currently receiving an unprecedented amount of 999 calls and is urging the public to only call for life-threatening or potentially life-threatening emergencies.

“If the family wish to contact us to discuss the incident, we would urge them to do so.”

The number of calls have been rising since May but a spokesman added the surge has been replicated across the country.

As a result, NWAS has increased staffing levels in control rooms with 42 starting before the end of March and is increasing frontline resources with 68 new clinical staff ready to be out on the road later this month and a further 68 before the end of March.

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