AMBULANCE bosses have warned people their number could be up -- if they don't have digits on their door!

They believe paramedics dispatched to emergencies are being held up because fewer people are putting numbers on their houses.

And while satellite navigation has overcome the traditional problem of poor street names, poor numbering is still a problem.

Now they have appealed for people to reject house names or leaving their doors blank so they can find houses straight away.

Steve Watt, director of A&E Operations for Lancashire Ambulance Service, said: "Satellite navigation means we can find our way to a street as quickly as is possible.

But a delay can occur if we can't find the house straight away.

"It would be a massive help if people started putting numbers on their houses again to try and save time. It is important we get to an emergency as quickly as possible."

"Whenever we dispatch an ambulance, an operator stays on the line with the person who made the call to give advice and where possible we'll try and get them to look out for the ambulance."

Coun Frank Gorton, a member of Blackburn with Darwen's health overview and scrutiny committee, which is currently reviewing the work of Lancashire Ambulance, said: "It is important the council makes sure its signs are still in good condition and accurate as well."

The appeal by ambulance bosses comes a year after police made a similar request to farmers in rural parts of Ribble Valley.

They asked farmers to start putting up house names at the side of roads so fire crews and police could found them quickly in an emergency.

Insp Bob Ford, of Clitheroe Police, said: "We received a positive response when we wrote to farms.

In case of an emergency, a few minutes to find somewhere can make all the difference."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "It does help a lot when people put house numbers on, especially if the regular postman is off. Sometimes, our staff have to employ detective skills to get the right house, so numbers help us too."