THE ambulance service responded to more than 800 calls in Suffolk and Essex during the New Year celebrations – double the number of calls on an average night.

Figures from the East of England Ambulance Service have revealed there were 229 calls from revellers in Suffolk and 613 from people seeing in the New Year in Essex.

Across the region, the service responded to 1,970 calls between 7pm on December 31 and 7am on January 1. Last year they responded to 1,989 calls.

The ambulance service boosted resources for the New Year which included ‘see and treat’ tents and SOS buses in town centres.

Director for Emergency Operations, Neil Storey, said: “My thanks and praise go out to all our staff and volunteers who worked during this difficult shift.

“While a downward trend, however slight, is good news and a sign that perhaps people are taking note of our advice, it’s still a very busy start to the year.

“For those calling 999 with a genuine medical problem but which isn’t an emergency we would ask them to take note of our Right Call message which explains how calls are prioritised, like they are in A&E departments, to ensure the patients in most need get help first.”

For the 2012 celebrations the service was called out to 219 incidents in Suffolk and 623 in Essex.

Ambulance bosses are now also calling for people to make a New Year’s resolution of learning CPR.

Mr Storey added: “Learning to save a life can mean that if someone near you collapses and is unconscious, your actions could make the difference between life and death.”