The East of England’s ambulance service, which covers Potters Bar, attended more than 2,700 emergency calls on Christmas Day.

Staff answered more than 7,813 calls between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day across the region, and 1,241 patients were taken to hospitals on Christmas day Calls typically ranged from chest pains, illnesses and falls, to choking, assaults and births.

Only around 30 per cent of patients had a life-threatening injury.

Rob Ashford, acting director of service delivery, said: “From our call handlers, to the crews out on the roads, and everyone else - I’d like to say a huge thank you.”