AMBULANCE chiefs in Wiltshire have come under fire after a man needing nearly 30 stitches was rushed to hospital in a police car because paramedics were overstretched.

A 21-year-old Trowbridge man was left with gaping wounds after being slashed in the face outside Chicago Rock Cafe on Christmas Eve.

Police and paramedics were called to Park Road at 9.30pm but the nearest ambulance was on the other side of the county.

A neighbouring ambulance trust scrambled a crew from Frome, but police officers made the decision to take the victim to Trowbridge Hospital after seeing the extent of his injuries.

West Wilts MP Dr Andrew Murrison is leading calls for ambulance chiefs to explain why paramedics from Wiltshire could not respond.

The shadow health minister said: "There are obvious concerns raised by this incident and I will be writing to the chief ambulance officer to clarify what the situation was on Christmas Eve in terms of ambulance cover for Trowbridge.

"Anything involving knives has the potential to be life-threatening. It sounds as if the police officers acted expeditiously when dealing with the situation as they found it."

A police spokesman confirmed officers took the victim to Trowbridge for treatment because no ambulance crews were available.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Ambulance Trust said police always attend potentially violent situations first but admitted its nearest crew were "quite a way away".

The trust was deluged with calls over the Christmas period, stretching the service to near breaking point.

Using crews from neighbouring trusts is not unusual in towns on the borderline, but the spokesman admitted it was rare to have to get one to go as far in as Trowbridge.

West Country Ambulance Trust, which covers Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, took the victim from Trowbridge to the Royal United Hospital, Bath, where he needed 27 stitches to a head wound.

Det Con Trevor Abbott said the victim suffered nasty injuries in the attack caused by a knife or broken bottle.

"The victim was struck in the left hand side of the face with some sort of bladed weapon, which struck his ear and was drawn right the way down to his lower chin.

"We have searched the park but have not found the weapon."

Police believe the incident is related to a fight earlier in the evening outside Dominos Pizza in Castle Street.

CCTV tapes have been seized but police believe up to 15 people queuing outside Chicago Rock Cafe may have seen the attack and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

A 22-year-old Trowbridge man was arrested on Christmas Day on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. Police bailed the suspect until later this month to carry out further inquiries.