THERE has been a dramatic drop in the number of stroke casualties calling an ambulance when they first experience symptoms.

Southend Hospital have launched a campaign urging patients to save their brains and not ignore important signs.

Lead stroke physician Dr Paul Guyler said that not acting quickly can have devastating repercussions for a stroke patient and their families.

He added: "People are not calling for help quickly enough. As soon as a stroke starts – even a very mild one – part of the brain dies at the rate of two million cells per minute.

“The faster people call an ambulance, the sooner we can stop the damage and give the patient the chance to be fully independent again.”

During last year's national FAST campaign, when adverts were shown on prime-time television, Southend Hospital were seeing 60 percent of stroke casualties within the recommended three hours.

This figure has now dropped to just 40 percent.