Residents in Malmesbury fear the first steps towards closing the town's ambulance station have been taken.

Great Western Ambulance Trust has this week appointed community-based paramedic Emma Hussey to serve the town.

Miss Hussey, who took up the role on Monday, will be based at Gable House Surgery in the High Street.

The move has heightened fears that the ambulance base on Station Road will be shut.

The trust has confirmed it is reviewing every piece of real estate it owns, as tries to slash £1.5 million from its budget.

Town councillor and Chamber of Commerce chairman Ray Sanderson said the future looked very bleak.

"As far as I know, they intend closing the station and removing the ambulance, so Malmesbury would not have a frontline ambulance," said Coun Sanderson.

"The ambulance would have to come from Swindon or Chippenham. It's just ludicrous.

"They are blaming cost-effectiveness, but you can't put costs against human lives.

"If it is to close, I will fight it hammer and tong, and I know a lot of other disappointed people will too."

County councillor John Thomson is to raise the issue at the next Malmesbury Area committee meeting.

"They are talking about closing the ambulance station and having this paramedic in a high-speed car with all the equipment," he said.

"If the person then needs to go to hospital they call the ambulance in."

Miss Hussey is to be based at the surgery's High Street buildings until it moves to the redeveloped hospital site on Burton Hill next year.

The ambulance trust's service delivery manager Steve Arnold said the introduction of Miss Hussey, along with the town's existing First Responder Ollie Dalton would make for an excellent service.

"Our vision is to integrate people like Emma into the community so they have a named person," he said.

"Although we have an ambulance station in Malmesbury, the vehicle itself is rarely there because there's higher demand elsewhere.

"We are mindful of the fact there is some feeling in Malmesbury that the station could be closing and that is a possibility, but we will not be doing anything without full consultation."