Ambulance managers say there has been a rise in 999 calls

An extra �11m is being spent on the service as part of an investment plan.

The money will be used to increase the number of control room staff and replace some vehicles.

Some of the cash will also be spent on a new pay deal which comes into effect in October. Emas says the investment will help improve response times.

At the moment it is meeting national targets for response times to life-threatening emergencies but is falling short of standards for less serious incidents.

Director of Operations David Whiting said: "I think Emas, like every other ambulance service, has seen an increasing demand for its 999 service."