LANCASHIRE ambulances turned out to nearly all emergency calls last year, despite a record number of requests.

And the service is set to improve further with the news that all its ambulances are to be fitted with satellite navigation systems by March next year.

The service exceeded both of the key targets which must be met by all Emergency Ambulance Services despite dealing with an extra five per cent of calls, a total of 125,000 calls up to the period March 31, 2001.

In that time the service reached 77.3 per cent of life-threatening calls within eight minutes -- compared to a national target of 75 per cent. Only two other ambulance services met that target.

The service also reached 98.2 per cent of life-threatening calls and other calls within 19 minutes. The national target is 95 per cent.

David Hill, chief executive of Lancashire Ambulance Service, said: "I am extremely proud of this achievement and of the way our staff have risen to the considerable challenges in delivering this improved performance to benefit the people of Lancashire."

Anthony Marsh, director of accident and emergency operations, added: "The figures confirm that during the year we reached more patients more quickly than ever before with very real benefit to those patients.

"All my staff have worked hard for this success and I am pleased to thank them for their efforts."

The news came on the day the government announced plans to improve ambulance response times were announced by health minister Hazel Blears.

All NHS 3,000 emergency ambulances -- which includes the 43 in use in Lancashire and 15 back-up ambulances -- are to be fitted with satellite navigation systems by March next year at a cost of £3.4million.

The move will tackle problem of delays where ambulance crews are unable to locate the address of the patient they have been called to assist or where they have to travel out of their normal area.