The North East Ambulance Service has thanked the public for "using 999 wisely" after paramedics went on strike.
There were walkouts across the region's ambulance stations with members of the UNISON, GMB and Unite unions striking on Wednesday. The industrial action was organised in response to the Government's 2022 pay offer which would see workers get a flat increase of £1,400 under the NHS Agenda for Change pay structure.
Under the offer, most ambulance staff get a rise of around 4%, the Department for Health and Social Care says, but trade unions say that is a real terms pay cut, with inflation at 10.7%. Following the action, NEAS has released a statement saying the service received fewer 999 calls.
