AMBULANCE staff believe special contingency plans helped them to cope with the surge in demand during the New Year celebrations.

Mercy crews said the evening was one of the busiest of the year with dozens of people calling 999 shortly after the clocks struck midnight.

But a spokesman for Lancashire Ambulance Service said they were prepared for the rush and had extra staff on duty to cope with the demand.

Crews attended almost 300 emergency calls across the county during the night.

Paramedics covering Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley dealt with 39 emergencies ranging from minor injuries to alcoholic poisoning. In Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale crews responded to 51 incidents.

Paul McComiskey, operations manager at Lancashire Ambulance headquarters, said: "We had a very busy night but it was no busier than expected. "Once it got past midnight the volume of calls shot up and the busiest time was between 12.45am and 2pm.

"We were called out to deal with the usual kind of alcohol related injuries ranging from minor injuries to alcoholic poisoning.

"There were also some minor assaults and domestic violence but, despite the high demand, we were prepared and managed to cope."

Police in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley said there were no major incidents in the area, although all the town centres were busy with revellers seeing in 1999.

A total of 36 people were arrested in Blackburn, Darwen, Clitheroe, Accrington and Great Harwood for offences including assault, disorderly behaviour, drunkenness, burglary, damage and unauthorised taking of vehicles.

Inspector Bob Eastwood of Blackburn police said: "Because people were in high spirits we were being quite lenient with people on the streets.

"Arrests were only made when absolutely necessary, when someone's behaviour was likely to cause serious offence to other people."

Police also arrested 36 people in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale for drink-related offences.

A spokesman for the casualty department at Blackburn Royal Infirmary said: "We had an average night for admissions and were kept reasonably busy throughout. For a New Year's Eve it was nothing exceptional."

Sixty patients were treated at the casualty department at Burnley General Hospital between midnight and 8am.

A hospital spokesperson said: "That is about three times the normal number, but fairly typical for a New Year's Eve."

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