FIREFIGHTERS have raised concerns about the time it took ambulances to arrive at the scene of the horrific fatal car crash between Stow and Moreton last Friday.

Leading firefighters, who rushed to the scene on the A429 Fosseway, have spoken of their concerns that there were insufficient ambulances available in the north Cotswolds to cope with the devastating impact of the head-on collision.

Stow station commander Pete Muckle said: "The biggest concern was there was a shortage of ambulances. We were waiting for ambulances to take the casualties away."

He did not think lives would have been saved if the ambulances had arrived earlier, but added: "It is a concern about the availability of ambulances."

Moreton station commander Alan Wallace, whose crew was the first at the scene, echoed Mr Muckle's concern. "I know the ambulance service was stretched but we have said time and time again about this.We are lucky to have an ambulance in Moreton. Often it's not there. We were waiting for ambulances to come from Cheltenham," said Mr Wallace, a firefighter for 34 years.

"I remember when ambulances used to turn up before us because they were local. A lot of the time now we get there before because of the distances they are having to come. They could be the other side of the county," said Mr Wallace.

"I do feel frustrated when you have got a casualty out and there is nowhere for them to go," said Mr Wallace, who said paramedics were at the scene to provide medical help and guide the fire crews.

Mr Muckle said the scene of the head-on collision was the worst he had seen in 25 years as a firefighter.

"The Peugeot didn't have a front on it. The bonnet was crushed like a piece of paper.

"None of them had got any seat belts on. The bodies were still in the car. We tried for a pulse then the paramedic came up and checked them."

Mr Muckle lives in Maugersbury Park, 14 doors down the road from John Kirby, aged 63, the driver of the VW Passat, who was declared dead at the scene, and his wife Maggie, 61, and daughter Julie, 34, who died later in hospital.

"They were there when we moved 20 years ago so have known them a long time.

"It does affect you because you know them," said Mr Muckle, who also knew Jason Brain, the driver of the Peugeot, having released him from a car crash near Bourton some years ago.

Mr Wallace described the scene as carnage'. "It was horrendous," he said.When the Moreton crew was initially told there were six trapped they thought the accident must have involved a minibus.

A statement issued by Great Western Ambulance Service said: "We are confident that we did everything we could to provide an appropriate response and high level of clinical care.