CALLS are being made to increase the salaries of paramedics after a Conservative parliamentary spokesman spent a shift with Redditch crews.

Karen Lumley spent a 12-hour shift with one crew last Thursday but she said during the time they only had two official 20-minute rest breaks.

And she said fully qualified paramedics were paid under £18,000 a year, which she felt was appalling.

"It was a very long day from 7am until 7pm and there was a very wide range of calls which we attended.

"The time seemed to go very quickly and the crews told me it was a quiet day, so goodness knows what a busy day would entail," Mrs Lumley said.

Crews have invited Mrs Lumley to attend a night shift on a Friday or Saturday.

She added: "These men and women work extremely hard and with very little remuneration or rest."

Mrs Lumley has written to the shadow secretary for health Dr Liam Fox to express her concerns paramedics are not paid enough.