The number of ambulance crews answering 999 calls within eight minutes is still falling.

A report to East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority says 59.98 per cent of crews arrived on time in November.

This is a drop from the 60.95 per cent recorded in October and is the lowest level so far this year.

Both figures are well below the national standard of 75 per cent which Sussex Ambulance Service hopes to achieve by the end of March.

Last year, ambulance chiefs said recruitment problems are part of the problem but they were working to try and improve the situation.

However, the authority's report says the service has only "medium confidence" it will hit its target on time.

The service employs 410 paramedics who are fully stretched and have to work long hours and overtime to deal with more than 500 calls a day. A further 70 paramedics are needed.