COLLEAGUES of paramedics who helped rescue the survivors of the Great Heck rail disaster have asked why they were left out of a commendation ceremony.

Paramedic Dennis Hall said he was disappointed the actions of the ambulance service had not been commended alongside the police, fire service and members of the public, at a York award ceremony hosted by British Transport Police and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service on Monday.

Mr Hall said: "I don't want to gripe about the police and the fire service, they did an excellent job.

"It's not that we want any glory, but it would be nice to be recognised for the role that the ambulance service played. Not only that, but staff from the hospitals also missed out.

"There are quite a lot of people who did good work that day and it seems only fair that if the other services have been recognised, the ambulance service should be too."

Brave and courageous members of the public who helped during and after the crash, were presented with certificates of commemoration by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Lord Crathorne.

Chief Fire Officer's Commendations were presented to members of the fire service, while Chief Constable's commendations were awarded to members of North Yorkshire Police at the York Racecourse ceremony.

A friend of a paramedic who attended the crash site said: "I want to know why they were not included. They were a big part of the day. You only have to look back at the photographs to see how many ambulances were there. "

Chief Supt David Hatcher, of British Transport Police, said North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service chose to present their commendations alongside British Transport Police.

He said: "There were heroic and self-sacrificing actions displayed by many people at the site of the incident.

"The awards were conducted with a view to leaving each service to recognise its own staff."

Nigel Metcalfe, spokesman for Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said that soon after the crash, members of the ambulance service involved received a personal letter of commendation from the then chief executive.

He said: "Our chief executive, Jayne Barnes, attended the ceremony on Monday, and we assumed her presence there was representative of the service."

Updated: 09:05 Friday, July 11, 2003