HAMPSHIRE Ambulance Service is failing to meet its target for emergency response times in the Meon Valley and surrounding countryside, latest figures reveal.

One ambulanceman has blamed the shortfall on management "obsession" with reaching targets - leaving rural areas with a "second class service".

During July and August this year only 60 per cent of the highest-priority emergency calls were responded to within eight minutes.

The government's target is for 75 per cent of "Category A" calls to be dealt with in that time.

The disappointing Mid-Hampshire Primary Care Trust statistic compares with 72.5 per cent for Hampshire as a whole during August.

The primary care trust covers Wickham, West Meon, Winchester, Andover, Alresford, Ropley, Stockbridge, Bishop's Waltham and Whitchurch.

The poor summer results come after Hampshire Ambulance Service dramatically improved its performance from the worst in the country to exceeding the key NHS performance target by the end of 2001.

A Hampshire paramedic said average response times were boosted by putting ambulances from across the county on standby in Portsmouth and Southampton, where most incidents happen.

But this meant people in rural areas could have to wait up to 30 minutes for an ambulance, which is too long if they are dying of a heart attack.

The figures were reported to a public board meeting of the primary care trust in Winchester Guildhall this week.

Chairman Barbara North, said: "I feel that we must have a system that guards against focusing on urban areas at the exclusion of rural."

Hampshire Ambulance Service has introduced a number of initiatives in a bid to improve emergency response times in rural areas.

These included new rapid response vehicles and first responder schemes with volunteers trained to give advanced first aid until an ambulance arrives.

Christine Allen, joint chief officer for NHS patient watchdog, Mid-Hampshire Community Health Council, said: "We understand that it is more difficult to meet targets in rural areas because of the long distances involved. Rapid response vehicles and first responder schemes were introduced to help with that but it is not showing in the figures."

A spokesman for Hampshire Ambulance Service said the volume of emergency calls had increased by six per cent this year.

"We deploy our resources as best as we can to meet the government target of 75 per cent of Category A calls responded to within eight minutes," he said.