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An ambulance service is appealing for volunteers to become community first responders in Surrey and Sussex.

Volunteers will be provided with training to respond to emergencies in the areas where they live or work.

They will deliver care to patients in the minutes before the arrival of ambulance crews.

A spokesperson for South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said it was "particularly keen to hear from people living or working in rural or semi-rural areas".

Secamb said it was also introducing a new "volunteer to career pathway" for anyone interested in exploring a paid career in the trust.

The pathway will mean anyone who has completed 18 months of volunteering a minimum of four hours a week will be guaranteed an interview for qualifying paid frontline roles, the service said.

The trust said it was looking for applicants who can ideally volunteer a minimum of 20 hours each month and commit to a minimum two-year term of volunteering.

David Wells, head of community engagement, said: “We are extremely proud of our volunteers who make a huge difference to the communities they serve.

“We’re really keen to hear from people with the right attributes to take on this role supporting our frontline services."

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