A MAJOR campaign has been launched by Cumbria Ambulance Service to stem the large number of inappropriate calls for emergency ambulances.

The message the service is trying to get over is: "Call an ambulance for the wrong reason and someone could die."

Nick Smith, director of operations, said that people were requesting ambulances for all manner of reasons, including toothache and other minor ailments.

"Many are under the misunderstanding that if they arrive at casualty in an ambulance they will jump the queue," said Mr Smith. "The point is that while we're dealing with calls of this nature we're not available to get to the life-threatening emergencies, putting the lives of other patients at risk."

He said that research had shown that every year up to 25 per cent of 999 calls to the service did not require an emergency response. Last year frontline ambulance crews from the eight ambulance services across the north of England taking part in the campaign responded to more than one million 999 calls.

Brian Aldersey, area supervisor for the northern division of Cumbria Ambulance Service, said ambulances in the county had acted on 999 calls for cut fingers, constipation and flu.

"It's been going on for quite a while but these types of calls are definitely on the increase," said Mr Aldersey. "The public need educating as to what the ambulance service is about because by making these types of call they are putting other people's lives and the lives of our crews at unnecessary risk."

As part of the campaign some 15,000 posters are being distributed across northern England and will be displayed in nightclubs, pubs, clubs, universities and community and leisure centres.

The campaign has been launched to coincide with the service's busiest time but will carry on throughout the year.