R M JOHNSON, of Green Park Way, Chillington, writes:

I read with dismay the plight of five-year-old Olivia after suffering a broken leg at home in Loddiswell on Friday, August 10.

The ambulance trust's management reply in 'quango speak' evades the truth and requires exposure as a sham.

Since April of this year, emergency cover, both in man-hour terms and dual manned, fully equipped, frontline ambulances has been reduced in the South Hams. This applies to Kingsbridge, Dartmouth and Totnes ambulance stations, as well as Ashburton.

As a retired crew member of a frontline ambulance, also as a resident of the growing and ageing population of the South Hams, I demand the same level of emergency ambulance cover as the residents of Plymouth and its districts, also Torbay and its districts.

Local councils, parishes and towns, along with South Hams Council, should demand full details of all the reductions to cover made so far, and voice their strongest objections in the interests of safety and welfare of their communities.