Big freeze accidents put hospitals under the cosh

A major alert was issued within the health service yesterday, medics warning of problems facing ambulance services as they struggled to reach incidents and transport patients to hospital. Crews saw a huge surge in demand with 600 emergency calls made between 9 and 10am – four times the usual rate. The alert was stood down at lunchtime.

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said the alert "had been triggered by demand and the extremely icy weather conditions".

She added: "We are urging people to take extra care due to the treacherous conditions, and ask the public only to call 999 for an ambulance in a medical emergency."

Slight daytime thaws followed by flash freezing overnight have left roads and pavements covered with a dangerous layer of ice while many councils are now only gritting the highest-priority routes because of the nationwide shortage of rock salt. The result has been a huge increase in accidents.

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS trust accident and emergency consultant Andrew Lockey said they had been "extremely busy".

He said: "We are seeing some nasty fractures, dislocations and other injuries as a result of the weather conditions, and are busier than ever at both departments. People really should not be venturing out unless absolutely they have to."

In Bradford, hospital managers urged the public to avoid travelling for outpatient appointments today because of the ice. All will be given alternative dates if they ring to cancel.

Bradford's orthopaedics and trauma lead Tony Watters said: "On the trauma board this morning we had nine patients with wrist fractures waiting for treatment. Usually we'd expect about two or three, so it's a trebling.

"Over the last two weeks we've been seeing about one ankle fracture a day – normally we get one a week."

In Rastrick, near Brighouse, a rescue team was called to help a sledger who broke both legs in a horrifying fall. The 23-year-old was sledging at Toothill Bank when he came off his sled.

Calder Valley Search and Rescue assistant team leader Wayne Ogden said: "He was with his family and on his first run he came off his sledge and caught his foot on something. We put him in one of our casualty bags and carried him to the ambulance."

In Leeds, patients at the city's A&E unit were given drinks and blankets after a huge morning surge left staff over-stretched. The hospital said queues peaked around 11am when 102 patients were waiting – half the number the unit would expect to see in an entire day.

Meanwhile salt stocks are still running extremely low across the region, the situation in Kirklees described as "critical".

The council has seconded all its available staff to spread sand in town centres in an effort to prevent total chaos.

A spokesman said: "All available staff from the council are out putting grit sand down in town centres across Kirklees. The sand is not as effective as salt but does offer some grip."

In North Yorkshire the number of roads being gritted has also been reduced further following the Government's announcement that all councils must use less salt. The county council pledged all communities would have at least one access route maintained.

In West Yorkshire the freezing weather caused travel disruption and led to the closure of nearly 200 schools.

Black ice has caused a number of accidents and in one incident, a truck crashed into a house near Leeds. Roads were closed and buses in Bradford, Huddersfield and Keighley were suspended in the rush hour.

Across Yorkshire residents are seeing rubbish a piling up outside their homes as councils struggle to maintain a bin collection service.

Kirklees Council admitted it has been unable to collect household rubbish for weeks.

Forecasters said many areas should now beware of flooding at the weekend, with milder air set to arrive tomorrow evening.

n A woman in Essex died after falling into a freezing lake as she was trying to rescue her dog. Emergency services were called yesterday to a lake near Nazeing after a woman in her 40s went missing while searching for her pet. The dog was later found safe.