HAMPSHIRE Ambulance Service NHS Trust workers have welcomed news of 90 more recruits.

The largest manpower drive ever undertaken by the service means 59 trainee ambulance technicians, 21 communication centre employees and two further administration staff have been recruited from across Hampshire.

A further eight trainees are awaiting confirmation of their start dates. This will bring the total number of Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust staff to more than 800.

All new staff will be based at the service's HQ at Highcroft in Winchester.

The jobs boost follows the news that Hampshire Ambulance Service looks likely to merge with its Surrey counterparts next year in a move backed by the Government but criticised by Hampshire's own ambulance service trust which feels it is "not in the interest of the local population".

Local health authorities have vowed to donate £1.8 million to the beleaguered Hampshire Ambulance Service after crisis talks between the NHS Executive and central government.

More than £600,000 of the cash pledge was made available immediately for the recruitment drive.

A joint report by Unison and the Transport and General Workers Union, published earlier this year, said that Hampshire desperately needed 65 emergency and urgent vehicles available at peak times, yet it currently has 44.

The report also called for sufficient trained staff and equipment.

Richard Mawson, chief executive of Hampshire Ambulance Service, said: "Our new recruits are now on stream and are already making a difference.

"This is especially obvious in the communication centre where we receive an average of 300 emergency calls a day."