Fire engines have been used instead of ambulances to respond to medical emergencies in Rutland twice in the past few days, according to the Fire Brigades Union.

A fire engine from Oakham, equipped with a heart-starting defibrillator, was sent to nearby Langham in the early hours of Sunday morning to treat a heart attack victim.

The previous evening a fire engine was first on the scene of a similar incident because it was closer than the nearest ambulance.

Fire Brigades Union spokesman Tom Neale says the fire service is being used to plug gaps in the ambulance service.

Should you expect a fire engine to show up when you ask for an ambulance?

Tom Neale union spokesman

"We have a situation where the ambulance service is being made to look a lot better than it is," Mr Neale said.

"The public need to realise that if you require an ambulance, you should get an ambulance.

" We don't expect an ambulance to turn up at a fire when you ask a fire engine, so why should you expect a fire engine to show up when you ask an ambulance?

"It must be quite upsetting for people who are waiting for medical help."

The East Midlands Ambulance Service has issued a statement saying it trains firefighters to treat cardiac arrest.

The service says it also reviews any calls that it cannot reach within its eight-minute target time.

It added that reponse times in the Leicestershire and Rutland area have improved considerably in the last few years, with the target time being met in 75% of calls now compared with 43% in 1999.