Ambulance workers will be paid a bonus if they hit tough Government targets.

Sussex Ambulance Service must answer all 999 calls to life-threatening emergencies within eight minutes, 75 per cent of the time.

The service usually averages just below that figure but needs to hit the target consistently to perform well in the annual Government star ratings.

Unions were approached by managers about setting up a bonus system. Unison said it wanted to avoid an individual performance-related scheme because hitting targets was a collective effort.

Chris Searle, Unison's director of human resources and organisational development, said: "These coming weeks are crucial. Our performance in response to life-threatening calls is primarily where we must improve and that improvement level must be sustained.

"We have held open discussions with staff representatives on how we can best respond to the current pressures and have been frank in response to the issues that face us all."

Sussex's service was given a one-star rating out of a possible three last year and crews are working at full stretch, with little or no room for manoeuvre if staff are off sick.

The Argus reported in February how on one evening seven ambulances were off the road because of staff shortages.

And the decision to transfer accident and emergency cases from Crawley Hospital to East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, will increase ambulance journeys by up to 20 miles when it comes into effect this summer.

The service is trying to cut the number of time-wasting calls as it prepares for its busiest time of the year to help ease pressures on workers.

It receives more than 400 calls a day, rising to more than 600 in the summer months as holidaymakers arrive.

The bonus scheme will run until October 1, with staff receiving £120 or £60 a month, depending on what part of the service they work in, each time they reach the target.