A FIRST Responder team has been launched in Ramsbury to provide a back-up to the Wiltshire Ambulance Service.

The scheme was officially launched on October 2 and covers the area of Ramsbury, Aldbourne, Axford and Baydon.

Volunteers, organised and trained by St John Ambulance, will be called out by Wiltshire ambulance control to offer prompt help in local emergencies.

Tessa Hicks, who is running the Ramsbury scheme, said the idea was to provide early first aid cover until an ambulance arrived.

She said ambulances would never be cancelled because a First Responder was in attendance.

The village's First Responder team is not only equipped with basic first aid equipment, but also with oxygen and a defibrillator.

It was intended, said Miss Hicks, that a rapid response would be available within eight minutes of a 999 call.

This would enable a much faster initial response for those living in rural areas where the ambulance may take longer to arrive.

This could be vital for certain medical conditions, but will also enable less critical casualties to receive prompt treatment and reassurance while waiting for an ambulance.

The money to pay for the equipment has all been raised locally, said Miss Hicks.

The success of the fund raising has enabled the Ramsbury First Responders to acquire two sets of equipment, allowing them to provide an even better coverage and level of service, she added.

More volunteers are always needed and anyone interested in undergoing the first aid training within their local community is asked contact St John Ambulance's Wiltshire HQ on (01380) 728362.