LANCASHIRE air ambulance was called to a record number of incidents over Christmas and New Year.

The Helimed 8 helicopter was used on 40 jobs over the last week, almost three times more than normal. Its average number of call outs is two a day.

The helicopter proved invaluable in several incidents where land ambulances were unable to reach accident victims because of snow and ice on roads.

The problems of land ambulances were highlighted when it took three hours to carry suspected meningitis victim Maureen Williams to hospital in Blackburn after a vehicle got stuck in ice on Paythorne Road, Clitheroe.

The majority of the call-outs for the air ambulance were for sledging injuries and falls. Incidents were spread across Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.

Incidents in East Lancashire included a sledging accident (pictured) at Stubbins, near Ramsbottom, where the patient was airlifted to Blackburn Royal Infirmary and an elderly lady who had fallen and hurt her leg on the Nick of Pendle, Sabden, near Clitheroe.

A third casualty was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital after a sledging accident on Rivington Pike, near Horwich.

Another was treated after a sledging accident in Witton Park, Blackburn.

On Friday, the ambulance was called to Darwen Tower, Sabden and Worsthorne, near Burnley, all to deal with walkers who had fallen.

Operations manager Paul West, based at Blackpool airport, said: "The heliambulance has proved its worth over the past few days.

"It's usually the quietest time of the year. Because of all the adverse weather the road ambulances have been struggling to get to jobs and we're being called out. The helicopter is ideal in those conditions. It has been invaluable during the bad spell of weather."