WORCESTERSHIRE'S ambulance service is in line for new equipment and extra vehicles to cope with the floods.

Gisela Stewart, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health, made the pledge yesterday after she met officials at Worcester Royal Infirmary's Castle Street and Newtown hospitals.

The MP outlined her vision for Worcestershire after pleas from Hereford & Worcester Ambulance Service operations director Steve McGuinness.

Speaking after 67 patients had to be evacuated from Castle Street, Mr McGuinness asked the Powick-based MP for extra vehicles and specialised equipment to deal with the flood-hit county.

"The service shouldn't grind to a halt just because we've got 3ft of water on the roads," he said.

"Patients can't wait for treatment. We don't want to be thwarted by that amount of water."

He said paramedic teams had worked for up to 15 hours on the day of evacuation as rising water levels threatened to hamper rescue efforts.

"We need better kits and immersion suits so we can put teams in places like Upton-upon-Severn," he added.

"Even if we can't get back out, at least we can treat people."

Ms Stewart, who spoke to staff and evacuated patients in the Oak Wing at Newtown Hospital, said paramedics and hospital staff had done a "magnificent job".

She revealed an Ambulance Service Association review was already under way, and said experts were looking into issues including response times for cardiac patients.

"The ASA review will include looking at vehicle specification in areas prone to flooding," she said.

"It will focus on all the emergency services working together - the police, the fire and the ambulance and, as it has been this week the Territorial Army.

"The way forward is to have equipment that is interchangeable between the services so that they can work to the same kind of protocol.

"We are looking into it."