Oswestry is to lose its traditional ambulance station and one of its permanent ambulances as part of a shake-up of the service across the region.

Ambulance bosses claim the changes will improve the service and have vowed to keep one vehicle and paramedics in the town “24/7”.

But last night town councillors said they were scared by the move and how it will affect residents.

Two councillors who have suffered heart attacks said they would not have wanted to wait for an ambulance to arrive from a proposed central hub, possibly near Shrewsbury.

Although the current ambulance station, which houses two ambulances on Morda Road, would not be retained, the town council heard last night that there would be a community station in the town. That would be a shared facility with another organisation, possibly the fire or health service.

Shared facilities are already being used in Market Drayton and Ludlow and West Mercia Police has just taken over Whitchurch ambulance station, where it will be providing facilities for ambulance staff.

Nick Henry, the West Mercia head of West Midlands Ambulance, said: “Oswestry will retain advanced paramedics and a vehicle 24/7 in the town. We are talking to the fire service and Shropshire County Primary Care trust to look at sharing a facility.”

He said the region had 63 ambulance stations, many built in the 1960s and 70s, which were in dire need of refurbishment. This could cost the service £4.5 million. Now the service is planning to build one or two hubs in Shropshire, hopefully before the summer of 2012.

Councillor Heather Bickerton was highly critical of the proposals and said time would be wasted travelling to the hub.

“I am very scared for the people of Oswestry. These proposals frighten me to death,” she said.

Both Councillor Peter Cherrington and Councillor Martin Bennett praised the service they received when they were taken to hospital having suffered heart attacks. But Councillor Cherrington said: “I would not have wanted to wait for an ambulance to travel 20 minutes to get to me.”

Oswestry Town Council is to press for written assurances that Oswestry will have round-the-clock ambulance cover.

By Sue Austin