AMBULANCES

THE emergency services work as normal over the Christmas period, on hand for any incidents they might get called to.

Staff at West Midlands Ambulance Service had a hectic Christmas Day.

Spokeswoman Daphne Lewis said ambulance crews had been "horrendously busy" so there was not a lot of opportunity for festive fun.

"They had a lot of things they felt were inappropriate for 999," she said.

She said some of the calls had been cases where people had been ill for a while but people visiting them for Christmas had panicked and called an ambulance.

"It would account for why the volume seems to be higher," she said.

"Because they know there's no doctor on Christmas Day, people panic and think the only way they can get seen quickly is to call an ambulance.

"People take advantage of the medical services, but in the wrong way. People with minor ailments and injuries call for the sake of it because the facility is available and they do not want to wait.

"It was disappointing in that it was so busy. It would have been non-stop constantly all through the shift.

"It's Christmas Day but it's business as usual and that's really it," she said.

"Obviously people would like to spend the day with their families, but they do understand that they chose an emergency services job and we provide a service that is 24/7, 365 days a year.

"I do not hear people complain about having to work, there's always this team spirit prevalent."

FIRE SERVICE

Christmas Day was a little busier than usual for the area's fire service.

Yvonne Eaton, based at Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service's fire control, said a large fire at Spring Grove House at the West Midland Safari Park on Christmas Eve (see page 2) had meant crews and relief crews were busy working overnight, and throughout the day on Christmas Day.

"It's been quite a busy Christmas, the last three or four days have been quite busy for us. I have worked quite a few Christmases now, and on most occasions it's been quite busy," she said.

"At some of the fire stations, they were planning a Christmas meal, but they had to abort so they couldn't have the meal they had got planned.

"You realise that when you come into fire control, you will have to work bank holidays. This is the day that affects people mostly, and you're leaving behind the families that you are not able to share Christmas with."

But she said she thought people were grateful and appreciated having the emergency services to call on.

"Whether they voice it or not, it does not happen very often, but you in yourself know at least you are there for people," she added.

"I think we are conscious that we are providing a service, that we need to be there.

"Obviously not everyone does have a good Christmas, we are thinking of the people who were booked to have a meal at Spring Grove House.

"We make the best of it really, we have to. By the time we leave most of Christmas Day will be over but we make it up with our families on separate occasions.

"We all appreciate it's just the nature of the job and you make the best of it."

POLICE

Inspector Anne Arthur is based at West Mercia Constabulary's call management centre, which deals with controlling incidents as well as taking calls. She said Christmas Day brought a lot of joviality with it, and they exchanged presents to mark the occasion. This year there were no major incidents they had been called to.

"It's generally less busy. In the force overall it's been the usual type of Christmas day where we get fewer calls, because businesses are not open and shops are not open so you do not get the normal day-to-day activities," she added.

"We still had a few road traffic collisions - the sort of collision that you would expect on any day, but even the traffic is light.

"There's very little criminal activity, not the usual types of crime like shoplifting. There was a much lighter volume of calls, a much lighter demand generally for assistance to people, in whatever form, so it's been a pretty pleasant day overall.

"We all want to be at home but we appreciate very much that we are giving a service to people."

PUBS

Pubs across Worcester were open for Christmas Day.

But while the Cricketer's Arms on Angel Street was open for customers to enjoy a festive drink, landlady Kim Dowling was having a well-earned rest on Boxing Day, when the pub was shut.

"It's the only day of the year we are shut, so we're having a rest," she said.

Bob Thompson, aged 45, landlord of the Farriers Arms on Fish Street, opened on Christmas Day for the first time. He said: "It was very busy. It's the first year we have opened on Christmas Day and people all flocked in."

He said they had welcomed at least 60 people through the door between 11am and 2pm.

"It was just me and my wife working. We opened again on Boxing Day, but we got staff in," he said.

"It was a busy one on Christmas Day. It's the busiest Christmas we have had for a few years."

He said although they had not enjoyed working on Christmas Eve, the pub had been filled with a festive atmosphere, and added: "Everyone was buying us drinks - I think everyone who bought a drink bought us one too."