Paramedics at Chippenham Ambulance Station will be able to take a break on a new bench which has been donated by grateful pensioner Gwen Love.

Mrs Love, 85, from Chippenham, handed over the bench on Wednesday morning in memory of her husband Lawrence Love who died of pneumonia in December.

Before he died paramedics from the Great Western Ambulance Service were regularly called out to help the couple and Mrs Love wanted to say thank you. She said: “They were very kind to me and my husband.

“Two years ago I had a heart attack and they were wonderful. I think they saved my life.”

She added: “My husband used to have quite a few falls and he was too heavy for me to pick him up.

“He fell out of bed and also in the bathroom and one time he cut his head quite badly on the edge of a door.

“I used to have to call an ambulance and they would come and help us.

“They were so kind. They didn’t make me feel like I was a burden. They don’t get enough recognition.”

Mrs Love asked staff at the station in Malmesbury Road what she could get them as a thank you gift before neighbour Mike Flay suggested a bench.

On the bench is a plaque which reads ‘In loving memory of Laurie Love’.

A former Chippenham butcher, Mr Love died on December 31, aged 87.