A NEW £1m base for north Oxfordshire's ambulances was opened on Tuesday by the county's Lord Lieutenant, Hugo Brunner.

The HQ, on Banbury Business Park, Adderbury, combines an ambulance station with space for staff to study, train, and rest.

It is the first of three sites planned for the county. The second is scheduled to open in Didcot later this year, with staff relocating from existing stations in Wantage, Abingdon and Didcot, and there are plans for a third in the Oxford area.

John Nichols, chief executive of the Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust, said: "Without costing the taxpayer a single penny extra, we have provided modern, well-equipped facilities that will help our staff provide high quality, efficient, and effective services to patients.

"A team of frontline ambulance and patient-transport staff have worked closely with the developers to ensure that the centre is fit for its purpose."

The centre's operational manager, Robin Finlayson, added: "Ambulance staff are delighted with their new home at Adderbury and have a real sense of pride in the service. With new modern resource centres and state-of-the-art ambulances, the service has moved with the times and is able provide the best possible service to the public."