THE boss of Lancashire's doomed ambulance authority will head its North West replacement, it has been announced.

Mary Whyham MBE was only appointed as chairman of Lancashire Ambulance Service in November but will take up the post at the new North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

The new authority which merges four existing trusts comes into force on July 1.

The Poulton-le-Fylde resident spent 33 years in the probation service and served as non-executive director of Wyre Primary Care Trust.

She will work approximately three days a week for four years for a salary up to £19,650.

The merger has caused controversy as the Lancashire and Greater Manchester have been given top marks in Government tests.

Yet the Cumbria and Cheshire and Merseyside authorities, have come in for criticism through the tough scoring process.

A spokesman for the NHS Appointments Commission said: "The changes in the service will result in ambulance trusts being able to work more closely with organisations such as the NHS and police and fire services.

"They will also result in a more efficient use of resources and better opportunities for staff."