AMBULANCES could be out of circulation for up to two hours if an accident happens in Marlow after the changes to Wycombe Hospital, a rugby club director has claimed.

Roy Carlisle, director of the mini rugby club in Marlow, spoke out after a number of the club's adult players suffered injuries last weekend.

He said the crews that helped treat his injured men revealed that it can take hours for them to attend to a patient in Marlow and then drive up to Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury.

Mr Carlisle, 48, of Daws Hill Lane, High Wycombe said: "At least two of the ambulance crew members told me that they are now out of circulation for up to two hours at a time and so if anyone else is injured in the meantime an ambulance is out of circulation."

Four men needed emergency care, and were ambulanced to Stoke Mandeville, and a fifth was driven there to be treated for a thumb injury.

He added: "I think most people in the rugby club had not yet realised what had happened to the hospital but now most of the senior club members and parents think the hospital changes are ridiculous.

"For all the money that's paid into the NHS it's not what we would expect from emergency care."

Even though Wycombe Hospital is much closer to Marlow, all major trauma surgery is now dealt with in Stoke Mandeville, which is more than 20 miles away from the riverside town.

Two Shires Ambulance Service would not confirm that claims by the ambulance drivers to Mr Carlisle were true.

However, it has reassured the players that special measures have been put in place since the changes were made a month ago to accommodate the lengthened journey times. It also pointed out that the quality of patient care has not been affected.

A spokesman for the service said: "We have received funding from Shaping Health Services to cope with the extra demand and we are continuing to hit our targets, such as to reach seriously ill patients in eight minutes.

"And if the patient is in a life-threatening state they will be taken to Wycombe Hospital regardless."