Welsh Ambulance Service staff were celebrated in west Wales for their long service.

The event took place at the Cliff Hotel and Spa in Cardigan on June 20.

Staff with 20, 30 and 40 years of service were honoured with medals at a special ceremony.

Not just paramedics were celebrated, but also emergency medical technicians, call handlers, allocators and corporate colleagues from mid and west Wales.

Workers with 20 years under their belt in the Emergency Medical Service were awarded a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

The Deputy Lieutenant of Dyfed, Meurig Raymond CBE, presented this honour.

Jason Killens, chief executive, shared his admiration for the team during his speech at the event.

He said: "Often, when people are at their lowest ebb, frightened, injured, vulnerable, sick, we are the people to whom they turn, so working for the ambulance service is not just any job – it’s a job that makes a real difference.

"It’s mindboggling to think that all the Long Service Awards we presented yesterday amount to almost 500 years of service.

"I want to extend a huge congratulations to all of our recipients.

"I am extremely proud of all of their achievements."

A staggering number of nearly 300 colleagues from the Trust will be given a Long Service Award this year.

Chairman Colin Dennis added onto this sentiment, discussing the origins of the awards ceremony.

He said: "When the Long Service Awards were first created, it was the realisation of a long-held ambition to recognise and celebrate the dedication and commitment of our people, in an event fitting of the occasion.

"It’s a chance to reflect on the contributions made by colleagues right across Wales.

"And the reason the Welsh Ambulance Service is what it is rests with its people – those who work tirelessly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to serve the people of Wales.

"A huge and heartfelt congratulations to all of our recipients and a sincere thanks for your contributions to the Welsh Ambulance Service."