Blue Lights and Long Nights

By: Les Pringle

Narrated by: Gordon Griffin

This book has been re-issued as Dial 999! ISBN 9780552165310.

Card-playing corpses, unfaithful husbands and 'flying' ladies - life as an ambulance driver in the 1970s was certainly varied ...

At the age of twenty-three, Les Pringle decided to escape from office life, broaden his horizons and become an ambulance driver. Little did he realize how broad those horizons would turn out to be.

Filled with warmth and humour, Blue Lights and Long Nights takes us back to a time when lonely old ladies could call 999 and have a cup of tea waiting when the drivers turned up for a chat; when learning to drive the ambulance meant going out for one test drive and managing not to hit a pedestrian; and every day brought a glimpse into other people's lives.

Gripping, poignant and darkly funny, Blue Lights and Long Nights is an affectionate, warm-hearted look at a world gone by.

Critic reviews

A great read. I loved every page (Jack Sheffield)

It's the most wonderfully written book... I do recommend Blue Lights and Long Nights, I really do (Libby Purves, Midweek, Radio 4)

His fascinating insight will make you laugh [and] cry...

Les' writing is so good that, even though I know the material inside out, I was still drawn to read more - he's a very engaging a writer... I cannot recommend it enough (Tom Reynolds, author of Blood, Sweat and Tea)