Ambulance bosses were preparing for the possibility of severe flooding along the east coast.Rob Lawrence, chief officer for Suffolk for the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS), urged people to make sure - should the floods arrive - that they only call for an ambulance in a genuine emergency.

Ambulance bosses were preparing for the possibility of severe flooding along the east coast.

Rob Lawrence, chief officer for Suffolk for the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS), urged people to make sure - should the floods arrive - that they only call for an ambulance in a genuine emergency.

"If we do have severe flooding we will be bringing in extra resources, both emergency and non emergency vehicles, but we will obviously be extremely busy and would ask people not to call us unless they really need our help," he said.

"People who have routine appointments at hospitals should also keep a close ear to their radios because in the worst case scenario we may have to cancel some of our non emergency patient journeys."

Five non-emergency vehicles were used to transport elderly and vulnerable residents in Yarmouth.