New ambulance 'to spare blushes'

The vehicle looks like a normal ambulance

South Yorkshire Ambulance Service has invested in a reinforced vehicle to avoid embarrassment for the county's heaviest patients.

The £60,000 vehicle, which was unveiled on Monday, can transport patients weighing up to 45 stone (286kg).

Features include a specially adapted stretcher and hoist to get the largest patients into the ambulance.

Ambulance staff previously needed to get fire service assistance to move some heavy patients, the service said.

"You can appreciate having a fire engine down anybody's road will attract attention," said Operations manager Peter Ward.

"What his ambulance does is allow us to move the patient without any embarrassment for them because the vehicle just looks like any other vehicle."