HUNDREDS of new paramedics and ambulances will be taking to the streets to save lives after a funding boost.

Clinical commissioning groups have agreed to boost the amount given to the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust by £11.5 million.

The money will be used to fund 300 extra paramedics and 169 ambulances after the service has struggled.

Funding for 2017/18 was £213.5 million and this will go up to £225 million for 2018/19.

This could then rise by another £15 million the following year.

Following a wide-ranging report from NHS England and NHS Improvement, a group of 19 clinical commissioners in the east of England agreed the new six-year contract with the ambulance service.

It followed an expert report which concluded the trust did not have the funds or the resources to fulfil its role to save lives.

Robert Morton, chief executive of the trust, said: “This is an excellent step forward as we aim to ease the strain on our existing staff who work incredibly hard for patients.

“That strain has been evident particularly over the last few months, during the increased demand which winter pressures always brings to the NHS.

“As a system, we are looking after more people with complex long-term conditions than ever before.

“Extra funding will mean the ambulance service can expand to meet the rising demand.”

The ambulance held talks with the 19 clinical commissioners last year.

Earlier this year, the service was criticised for a delay in calling in extra help after it became “critically overstretched” due to high demand in December and January.