Two ambulances had to be rescued after being trapped on icy roads.

Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue were called yesterday (November 28) at about 4.40pm to help one ambulance which was stuck in Nelson, before receiving a call today about 11.30am to a trapped ambulance in Colne.

The incident in Nelson on Sunday saw the vehicle on a downhill section of a side road and was sliding as it tried to move.

Team members from mountain rescue cleared some of the road to help the ambulance get out safely.

The patient in the ambulance was taken in an alternative ambulance to the hospital.

A spokesperson for the mountain rescue said: “Once a few of our team members were on the scene it became apparent the crew had conveyed the patient to an alternative ambulance, and it was now just the vehicle that would need extracting safely

“It was on a downhill section of the side road, that have become exceptionally icy where the snow had been compressed and as such was sliding to the side as it tried to move.

“The team members cleared some of the road and placed out grit to assist in getting the ambulance safely down the road so it was once again available to be of use for those in need throughout the community.”

On Monday morning, the team received another call about a trapped ambulance in Colne, however by the time they had arrived on the scene, the ambulance was free however crews were still struggling to get the patient out of their home.

Speaking about the incident on Monday, the mountain rescue team said: "By the time we arrived on scene, however getting the patient from the property was still an issue with access one way being a long route with awkward and slippery icy steps, and the other entrance to their house having an excavation dug out due to some building works.

"The crew were considering options and it was decided to use the teams’ mountain rescue bell stretcher – and this was put together and used as a bridge over the gap to the ambulance personnel could safely extract the patient to the ambulance in the safest way possible."

The ambulance service has been approached for comment.