RAPID intervention by members of a caring Wrexham team helped get prompt hospital treatment for a sick pensioner during heavy snow.

The Wrexham team of the British Red Cross operates a home from hospital service for people recently released from the Maelor who are still in need of help with shopping and getting to and from follow-up medical appointments.

After the recent heavy snowfall which left some parts of the county virtually cut off from the outside world, the team decided to phone around everyone using the service to see if they needed extra help.

This sparked one of their busiest spells ever, during which they handled about 70 calls for help in just two days.

One of the most urgent came in from a woman in her 80s in an outlying part of Wrexham.

The team’s assistant co-ordinator Laura Clays said: “The lady said she had been violently sick but that she didn’t need the doctor.

“We weren’t happy about that and contacted her GP anyway.

“The doctor went out to see her and had her admitted as an emergency to Wrexham Maelor hospital.

“She is still undergoing tests to see what was wrong.”

Team members using a 4x4 attended a large number of other calls during the cold spell.

Laura said: “Most of these were to deliver food and medical supplies to people who just could not get out because of the snow.”