Ambulance staff handled a whopping 1,200 calls in the four busiest hours over new year, it's been revealed.

The South East Coast Ambulance service (SECAmb) saw a huge surge in calls between 10pm last night and 4am on New Year's Day.

Bosses at the ambulance trust which runs the service thanked its staff and volunteers after an "extremely busy" Christmas and new year.

Control room staff worked hard to arrange help for callers, prioritising patients in the most need.

Ambulance crews out on the road worked flat out to reach patients as quickly as possible with demand up on last year.

Of the total calls, crews attended more than 600 incidents across Kent, Surrey and Sussex between 10pm and 4am and close to 2,300 incidents throughout the whole of New Year’s Eve – up around 300 on last year.

SECAmb Acting Chief Executive Geraint Davies said: “All our staff and our volunteers work hard all year round but I’m always particularly impressed by the dedication and professionalism they show at this time of year.

"We know it can also be hard on their families and loved ones too so we’re very grateful of the support they provide.

“As expected the whole period and last New Year’s Eve was very busy. Everyone rose to the challenge to respond to those in most need as quickly and safely as possible.

"I would like to thank the public for their continued support and wish everyone and happy and safe 2017.”

SECAmb continues to be extremely busy and is urging people to remember to only dial 999 in the event of a serious emergency.

When to call 999:

If you think a patient is suffering from one of the following you must dial 999 for an ambulance:

• heart attack (e.g. chest pain for more than 15 minutes)
• sudden unexplained shortness of breath
• heavy bleeding
• unconsciousness (even if the patient has regained consciousness)
• traumatic back/spinal/neck pain

You should also call for an ambulance if:

• you think the patient's illness or injury is life-threatening
• you think the illness or injury may become worse, or even life-threatening on the way to the hospital
• moving the patient/s without skilled people could cause further injury
• the patient needs the skills or equipment of the ambulance service and its personnel.