Readers have contacted us in recent weeks to outline the delays that they or their neighbours and friends have had to suffer.

John Fletcher, a well known and highly respected Town Councillor in Monmouth, has taken the step of writing to local MP., David Davies, the town's AM., Nick Ramsay, and Assembly Minister, Edwina Hart, to express his concern.

"I am having so many complaints from people who elected me" he said. "Why do patients have to wait so long for an ambulance? I can tell you why.

"Ambulances come from so far away, including Hereford, Worcester, Blackwood and Newport. That is why they are taking so long to get to their destinations".

Mr Fletcher said that, by law, the response time should be eight minutes, not up to three hours.

Revealing that he had himself had to wait for an ambulance for three and a half hours, he pointed out that Monmouth once had a population of 9,000.

That had risen to over 15,000,yet it was being suggested the ambulance station might be closed. "We want the station kept open and more ambulances stationed there as well" said Mr Fletcher.

"Last week a man suffered a stroke and it took an ambulance over an hour to arrive. How many people will die waiting for an ambulance" was his final, impassioned plea.

The Beacon also received a letter from reader Mr Colin Evans, of Dingestow, who said there was only one ambulance on call in Monmouthshire when a man was found collapsed and unconscious in the street.

Mr Gary Witcombe, who is chairman of the Welsh Electors Community Group, is also concerned at the long delays in ambulances attending emergency calls.

"Ambulances are coming from all parts of Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire" he said.

"We want two ambulances, plus an emergency response vehicle, stationed in Monmouth, so that these calls can be dealt with in minutes, not hours" said Mr Witcombe.

"An ever-growing town like Monmouth should be seeing its services, be it ambulance, hospital or even Jobcentre, expanding, not reducing, as is now unfortunately the case".

Local MP., David Davies, became involved in the ambulance service debate a few months ago, writing to Ministers and the Ambulance Service Chief Executive, seeking clarification on a number of matters which had been raised with him by constituents.

"Quite simply, we do not wish to see the town's ambulance station close " said the MP. "I have written to the Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust on two occasions to ask for a full appraisal of the situation. The silence is conspicuous to say the least and leads me to suspect the worst. I am extremely worried that the Rapid Response Team in Monmouth could be next to face the axe".