The head of the ambulance service covering Dorset has thanked staff and the community for their work over the past week following the severe weather.

Chief executive of South Western Ambulance Service Ken Wenman praised both staff and residents for “pulling together and helping out hard working ambulance crews”.

He added: “I’d like to thank our dedicated teams of volunteers and responders as well as the kind members of the public who had 4x4s and helped our crews to do their work during some exceptionally difficult conditions.

“I have watched our teams go above and beyond their day-to-day frontline roles and have witnessed true commitment, compassion and

dedication.”