EMERGENCY crews today called for a bridge to be strengthened and repaired after it emerged it was too weak to cope with vehicles such as fire engines or ambulances.

Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue has been called out to help fire and ambulance crew at Holme Manor Residential Home, Holme Lane, Rawtenstall, four times recently because vehicles can't cross the bridge to get to the home.

The team was called out last Saturday to assist in an emergency evacuation and members now want the bridge to be strengthened immediately.

The bridge leading to the home, damaged in freak storms earlier this year, has a weight restriction placed on it.

Andy Simpson, Rossendale and Pendle Search and Rescue spokesman, said vital resources were being tied up because of the bridge's weakness.

He said: "Nine team members had to attend this incident on Sunday. We are not in any way blaming the ambulance service because they did the right thing by calling us but this is an issue that can no longer be ignored.

"We have been told it will not be fixed until the end of January. In theory this could mean another seven or eight calls out which is not on.

"We shouldn't have to deal with things like this because the bridge should be strengthened as a matter of public safety. We are a voluntary service and incidents like this drain the little resources we have.

"There are some real issues which need answering. If there was a fire at the home the brigade would not be able to get their engine up to the building, which is putting lives in danger. This needs sorting and it needs sorting now before anything serious happens."

Ambulance Operations Manager Tony Dixon added: "This is a very serious issue for us. It has been going on for some time with the owner of the nursing home trying to resolve it. I am concerned for the safety of my crews and as a precaution they do not cross the bridge. I look forward to seeing the day when this is all sorted out."

Barry Ryan, Station Commander at Rawtenstall Fire Station, said: "We received a letter when the bridge was damaged by the storms so had to put a risk assessment together.

"The bridge is a problem to us because the fire engine cannot get across it. We have to increase the attendance to three pumps and have to park on the good side away from the bridge. We run our hose over the bridge from about 100 yards away.

"This obviously delays us because we can't drive right up to to the building so we would like to see it repaired as soon as possible."

Management at the home would not comment on the issue.