MAUREEN Borrows, who has dealt with thousands of emergency calls from people across the county since she joined the Lancashire Ambulance Service in 1958, has retired.

The service's longest serving emergency medical dispatcher, has sent ambulance crews to major incidents including the Abbeystead disaster.

Three times she has helped people deliver babies by giving them instructions over the phone.

She has received many letters of commendation from the public and was selected to attend the NHS 50th Anniversary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace last week in recognition of her service .

Maureen retired from her full-time post in May of last year but took up her job again part-time shortly afterwards.

She decided to throw in the towel altogether this month to spend more time with husband Bob, her daughters and grandchildren.

Maureen, 62, of Penwortham, said: "I have enjoyed an immense amount of job satisfaction helping the public when they are under stress. You have to keep calm when people are panicking."

Mr Fred Finch, Control Duty Manager at the service's Accident and Emergency Control, said: "She has been very dedicated to her job and is a brilliant lady. She will be sadly missed by everyone."

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