PEOPLE living in Amesbury and surrounding villages could be put at risk if the three emergency services decide to scale-down facilities currently provided in the town, warned a councillor this week.

District and town councillor Allan Peach is worried that Amesbury ambulance station could close, the public inquiry office at Amesbury police station may close and that full-time firefighters may be shifted out from Amesbury fire station, leaving it as a retained station - manned by part-time firefighters.

Mr Peach's concerns follow hot on the heels of a call by Salisbury MP Robert Key last week for Amesbury residents to make a fuss to safeguard the future of the fire station.

Mr Key is worried that a review of Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service indicates the possibility that Amesbury fire station could be downgraded to a retained station.

The two politicians have raised their fears after hearing that all three blue light services are currently undertaking reviews of their Wiltshire operations.

Mr Key said with Amesbury and its immediate area expanding at a fast pace, there is a need to "upgrade not downgrade."

Mr Peach claimed many rural areas outside of Salisbury will suffer if there is any downgrading of the emergency services.

Mr Peach told the Journal: "I attended a meeting last week as a district and town councillor to see for myself how the emergency services are run in the Amesbury area.

"I came away believing all three services are fully stretched.

"While I have no criticism at all of the professional and efficient way all three services do their job, I am very worried that managers of the 999 services are trying to streamline services and the effect could be putting lives at risk.

"I understand respective managers are looking at closing Amesbury ambulance station, to close the public enquiry office at the town's police station and that six full-time firefighters may be moved out of Amesbury and be sent to Salisbury and other fire stations in the county."

Mr Peach said his concerns were highlighted just a few days after his meeting when there was incident at Bulford, when a car was involved in an accident which led to a gas main being fractured, sending flames 30 feet into the air.

Mr Peach said two men in the car were injured and people had to be evacuated from nearby homes. "There was a need for two ambulances to attend the scene.

"An ambulance had to be sent from Swindon because the nearest one, at Salisbury, was already attending another incident.

"It took nearly an hour before the Salisbury ambulance could arrive.

"At the time of that incident there was only one ambulance in the locality and it was busy.

"It worries me that in an area like Amesbury, which is growing rapidly, our emergency services personnel are so stretched.

"We cannot afford to scale down cover in this area."

A spokesman for Wiltshire police said there were no short-term proposals to close the enquiry office at Amesbury although sometimes staff are moved to Salisbury to help man that office. The spokesman did confirm that a review of rural enquiry offices is on-going.

A review is also underway within the ambulance service.

Following the recent merger of Wiltshire Ambulance Service into the Great Western Ambulance Service a spokeswoman said a review is being undertaken of all the Trust's estate across Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

This is looking at all activity and demand profiles.

She emphasised that no decisions have been made at this stage including closing the Amesbury station.