TWO members of the Peruvian Ambulance Service (Bomberos) have recently been visiting Devon as guests of Jacobstowe-based rescue charity Rapid UK.

Mr Miguel Chuquisengo and Miss Frida Soriano, who are based at Lima Ambulance Depot, spent time with frontline ambulance crews and director of Rapid UK Graham Payne from Jacobstowe, who also works for the Westcountry Ambulance Service.

Last year Rapid UK went to Peru as a special advisory team to help train the Bomberos in emergency and medical procedures in disaster situations.

To their amazement they found they had no conventional ambulances and relied on a few basic trucks to convey patients to hospital.

After an approach from Rapid, the Westcountry Ambulance Service donated two frontline ambulances and shipped them to Peru.

The service was replacing these after they had come to the end of their operational duties.

Both ambulances have now completed over 900 emergency calls with the Bomberos and are expected to remain in operational use with them for many years.

The two crew members, who were visiting the Westcountry to gain further knowledge and ideas for developing their service in Lima, spent time at Exeter Ambulance Headquarters and with crews at Derriford Ambulance Station and the Devon Air Ambulance.

Mr Payne said Rapid was delighted to welcome the two Peruvians: 'This is exactly what we wanted to happen — for them to visit the UK and gain ideas into how to develop their own service.

These ideas they have learnt will now spread throughout Peru.'

Rapid UK has helped numerous countries hit by disasters and has now set up Rapid in France, Spain, Turkey, New Zealand and Peru.