East of England Ambulance Service declares 'critical incident'
It's as hospital across the region are under major pressure
The East of England Ambulance Service has declared a critical incident as NHS services around the country face "unprecedented" pressure, ahead of planned strike action.
North East Ambulance Service and the South East Coast Ambulance Service have also moved to the status as staff work to respond to calls.
The services said they took the decision due to pressures including 999 call volumes and hospital handover delays, and that declaring the status allows them to instigate additional measures to protect patient safety.
It comes as fears grow over the impact of an ambulance strike on Wednesday, when thousands of paramedics, technicians, control room workers and other staff walk out.
The East of England Ambulance Service works in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
North East Ambulance Service operates across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Darlington and Teesside.
South East Coast Ambulance Service covers Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Surrey and North East Hampshire.
The East of England Ambulance Service said it was "currently under huge pressure as a consequence of 999 call volumes and hospital handover delays".
"Declaring a critical incident means we can ensure our resources are focused on patients with the greatest need, as well as allow us to access wider support from our health and care partners," the trust said.