A NEW home could be found for two East Lancashire ambulance stations as part of a major NHS review across the North West.

Ambulance service bosses have identified Clitheroe and Barnoldswick as being prime sites for a major overhaul during the next 12 months.

An estates review has been instigated as part of proposals looking at the future of the North West Ambulance Service’s (NWAS) 100-plus bases, from Cumbria down to Cheshire and including Lancashire, as the NHS trust looks to save £10.22million.

In Clitheroe the possibility of combining the town’s ambulance and fire stations, both in Princess Avenue, is being explored by trust officials.

And discussions are said to be going well over similar proposals to unite Barnoldswick’s ambulance with either the fire or police station in the West Craven heartland.

The Brogden View ambulance station is around half a mile from the Fernlea Avenue police headquarters and Wellhouse Road fire offices.

Alan Stuttard, NWAS finance director, said: “In the current financial climate, as a responsible public sector organisation, we must look at ways in which it can make efficiencies with minimum disruption to its frontline services.

"One area which is currently being reviewed is our estate.

“The trust is exploring opportunities to move some stations to shared or other accommodation with- out affecting the performance or level of resources in the area.”

The NHS trust has not ruled out closing ambulance stations and unions have insisted the ‘most saleable’ buildings should not be relinquished.