ULVERSTON'S voluntary first aid team is having to turn down requests to cover numerous events because of a lack of volunteers.

The St John Ambulance, based at The Ellers, provides first aid cover at more than 200 events in the Ulverston area each year.

Divisional superintendent Reg Wilkinson said the number of requests had increased because of new safety regulations at staged events, which stated first aid cover must be provided in case of an emergency.

The number of volunteers at the Ulverston group has declined over recent years because of retirements and work commitments.

Despite recruiting three new volunteers in the last few weeks, an urgent appeal for more to come forward has been made.

The group currently has about 20 regular volunteers and between them cover events between Dalton-in-Furness and the Grange-over-Sands area, including Flookburgh and Coniston.

They range from Cartmel Races to events in the Coronation Hall in Ulverston.

Mr Wilkinson said: "Ideally we would like between 35 and 40 volunteers so we could dish out the duties more fairly.

"The number of inquiries for us to cover events is increasing and we cannot attended them all even though we would like to, so we are having to turn people down.

We try to do as much as we can but in September alone we covered 13 events."

Volunteers have to be over 18, but do not have to hold any first aid qualifications.

"We put the volunteers on the training courses required and it is up to them which ones they want to go for, they only have to be willing," said Mr Wilkinson.

Anyone interested in joining St John Ambulance can contact Mr Wilkinson on 01229-587608 or attend the Wednesday meeting at The Ellers at 7.30pm.

Alternatively, people can write to: St John Ambulance, The Ellers, Ulverston, for more information.