North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) have revealed Cumbria’s ambulance crews are feeling the pressure from the Covid-19 crisis.

Around 40 extra callouts a day are being made a day to emergencies in the county.

The north west region is recording an extra 1,000 calls a day.

These numbers represent a rise in calls following fewer callouts during the Christmas and New Year period.

On New Year’s Day, NWAS received nearly five thousand 999 calls, around 350 calls fewer than last year, with fewer calls also on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

NWAS' director of operations Ged Blezard has urged residents to only call 999 for serious emergencies.

Mr Blezard said: “As we head into January and February and the cold winter continues, we are expecting the high demand to continue and ask for the public to continue to help us by only calling 999 in life-threatening emergencies.”