Drivers of 4x4s have been urged to come forward and provide a vital volunteer taxi service for stranded nurses.

West Midlands Ambulance Service made the call in a bid to “help patients receive vital treatment” amid treacherous snow and ice.

The freezing weather has blighted nurses as they attempt to go about their day-to-day work in the community.

NHS Warwickshire has lent its support to the appeal - which is seeking help from people in Coventry, Warwick, Nuneaton and Rugby.

So far, 86 volunteers have come forward but another 20 are needed urgently, said Martin Turner, NHS director of communications.

“In rural Warwickshire many of the roads are impassable,” said Mr Turner.

“This morning it got to the stage where you couldn’t get over a simple humped back bridge without slipping.”

He added that a large number of elderly housebound patients had become particularly vulnerable because of the community nurses’ inability to get out to them.

The patients require a range of treatments from renal dialysis to blood pressure tests.

Mr Turner said the ambulance service and hospitals were seeing a large increase in calls and volunteers would be able to prevent patients needing emergency care.

  • Volunteers wanting to help West Midlands Ambulance Service should call 01926 310 310.

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