PARAMEDICS and ambulance personnel are now operating out of a fire station after their base was closed down due to being in a “poor condition”.

The East of England Ambulance Service’s Frinton headquarters, in Pole Barn Lane, has officially shut its doors after concerns were raised over the state of the station.

The site had started to suffer from an array of shortcomings which were reportedly beginning to impact the employees’ overall working experience.

Joining forces with a fellow emergency service, the trust’s seaside life-savers have now been relocated to the nearby Frinton Fire Station.

Despite the move, bosses at the East of England Ambulance Service are confident their staff will be able to operate just as effectively as before.

A spokesman said: “Our station in Frinton is in poor condition and does not provide a working environment of the standard our staff expect and deserve.

"As such, we made the decision to co-locate this response post from March to the fire station which is around 110 yards away.  

“This provides our staff with better facilities, in turn boosting their wellbeing, and better supports the service we provide to our patients.

“The relocation will not affect the service we are able to provide to patients as the same number of staff and vehicles will continue to operate from the town.” 

Some residents, however, have been left unhappy with the quiet closure of the station.

Laura Smith-Gillard, 93, who lives in the same road as the two stations, said: “Unless I have missed the announcement, the ambulance station in Pole Barn Lane, Frinton has now closed permanently.

“I assume that means the residents in Walton, Frinton, Kirby Cross, Kirby-le-Soken and surrounding areas will be waiting even longer for an ambulance if they need one.

“As far as I am aware the nearest station would be at Weeley.

"All very well unless you have a bad accident, heart attack, or stroke when early intervention is needed.

“What are the new arrangements for this area, if any?”