A LYNCHMERE parish councillor has called for a change in the way police deal with emergency calls on the county boundary, after officers took more than two hours to arrive at a road traffic accident in Hammer last week.

At 7-15 pm on Tuesday, June 3, Robert Dows-Miller was walking his dog when he came across a car crash at the bottom of Hammer Hill. He said that a woman was involved in the accident, but only suffered shock.

"As I could see that people who had stopped to help were struggling to shift the vehicle, I stopped and gave a hand to get it off the road," he said.

"It was clear that the actual accident had happened some time before, and so it would appear we have yet another case of the emergency services being unable to either find or prioritise who attends incidents at the boundary of the three counties."

After speaking to other bystanders, Mr Dows-Miller learned that the car struck the bank travelling along the Liphook Road towards Haslemere at about 6-15 pm. After hitting the bank of the Liphook-bound carriageway, the car came to rest, with its back sticking out into the road near the 30 mph sign.

A passer-by made a 999 call, and was put through to the Surrey force. When no one had arrived an hour later, another call was made.

Mr Dows-Miller said that during that time at least two cars had slipped on the debris that was lying in the road as they braked to avoid it.

"The caller was advised that the message had been passed to Hampshire, who had dispatched a car that had gone to the Headley Down end of Hammer Lane," Mr Dows-Miller continued. "Hampshire Police stated that another car would be sent out."

At 7-30 pm, the car was finally shifted out of the road and towed away. At 8-10 pm, Hampshire Police were called again, but said that they had passed the call on to the West Sussex force. Five minutes later, Surrey Police called back to advise that the council would be clearing up the debris.

Mr Dows-Miller has spoken out against the problem of dealing with cross-border emergencies before, after an ambulance was delayed last summer.

An elderly woman from Hammer was left lying on the pavement in the pouring rain for more than 40 minutes before a crew arrived to help her.

Mr Dows-Miller has now written to the MP for Chichester, Andrew Tyrie, and West Sussex county councillor, Tex Pemberton, for support, and hopes that changes can be made in the way the police respond to such calls.

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said that part of Hammer Lane was covered by Hampshire but not Hammer. The spokesman added that cross-boundary incidents were a difficult situation but the boundaries had to be drawn somewhere.

A Surrey Police spokesman said that Hammer was covered by West Sussex.

"It does happen that we get calls in from other areas, particularly on the A3 between us and Hampshire," she said. "But it's never been a problem. We will attend and then wait until Hampshire or West Sussex arrive; we wouldn't just leave. Most people are aware of where the boundaries are."