The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has been forced to extend its critical incident status as extreme demand fuels fears for patient safety.
The emergency measures were announced yesterday afternoon (December 19) after NEAS said its ability to respond to patients was being severely impacted due to unprecedented pressure, with more than 200 people experiencing delays while waiting for an ambulance.
And bosses confirmed this afternoon the critical incident will continue as the demand shows no sign of easing.