Sirens were heard throughout Stratford on New Year’s Eve as as emergency services dealt with an increasingly large number of calls.

West Midlands Ambulance Service had on average, five 999 calls every 60 seconds.

During the last four hours of the year, operators received 638 calls, which was a 15 per cent increase compare to the same four hours last year.

Then, after midnight, the amount of 999 calls doubled, a large proportion of them being for alcohol-related incidents including fights, assaults, and overdoses.

Chief executive Anthony Marsh said: “It comes as no surprise to us that New Year’s Eve has been the busiest night of the year for the ambulance service. It is a year in the planning for which as many staff as possible work through the night to ensure patient’s get help when they need it the most.”