A teenager was taken to hospital by police because the county's ambulance service was stretched to the limit.

The 17-year-old from Melksham was bleeding from a self-inflicted wound on his arm but was rushed to hospital in a police car.

Sgt Alan Strike, of Melksham police, said the kitchen floor was awash with blood when he and two officers arrived at a house in Scotland Road.

Sgt Strike bound the man's arm with a bed sheet and took him to Melksham Community Hospital.

Staff were unable to deal with the injury because of its severity. Again, no ambulance was available and the police had to take the man to the Royal United Hospital in Bath at about 1am on Sunday, October 8.

Gary Dommett had been drinking with his girlfriend and other friends and after an argument, Mr Dommett slashed his forearm with a kitchen knife. It left a five-inch gash through to the bone.

Police were contacted by ambulance control staff and told no ambulances were available.

Between midnight on Saturday and 3.45am, the ambulance service had a 400 per cent increase in calls, of which 62 were urgent.

Richard Claridge, Wiltshire Ambulance control manager, said: "This is not a one-off incident, this is the second weekend we have experienced this problem. We were fully staffed and fully equipped but the call volume has increased."

Last weekend, a Dorset ambulance twice came to Wiltshire's rescue and firefighters were also used.

"In this instance we judged from the call we received in the control room that it was something the police would be able to respond to. Lives were not put at risk."