IF you own a car, like driving and have time to spare, there is a job for you in Herefordshire.

Sorry, no pay - just expenses and loads of job satisfaction.

The vacancies, for kind-hearted volunteers, are with Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service and involve providing transport for patients who are not ill enough for an ambulance but who still need help to get to hospital.

There are 66 people in Hereford and Worcester doing this and 25 of them are in Herefordshire.

Alan Sprague, who supervises the patient transport service from ambulance HQ, describes their involvement as "fantastic", but says there is a shortage of volunteers in south Herefordshire.

"We are looking for men and women who can spend any amount of time helping get patients to their appointment.

"If you are an experienced driver, we'll give you the training you need," he said.

Two voluntary drivers from Herefordshire are described as "stars" of the patient transport service.

Bob Wood, from Stretton Grandison, a police officer for 30 years and Chris Jones, from Hereford, who formerly worked in the haulage business, have both been ferrying patients for nearly 11 years.

They are willing to put in five days a week and go anywhere, at any time. Both cover about 40,000 miles a year and take people to hospitals or specialist centres in places like Birmingham, London, Oxford and Cheltenham.

The people they carry range from babies to 100-year-olds. Some they see just once, others become regular passengers and friends.

For Bob and Chris, there is much satisfaction in what they do and both intend to carry on helping to transport people.

Of Herefordshire's 25 volunteers, between 10 and 15 are ferrying patients on any one day of the week.

Becoming a volunteer means having a four-door car and undergoing a driving assessment and licence check as well as a Criminal Records Bureau check.

Drivers get a standard mileage rate of 33.2p and a subsistence rate when they are away from home for more than five hours.

Regular meetings and a volunteer newsletter keep drivers up to date.

Anyone interested in becoming involved can call Alan Sprague on 01886 834200 or ask at their nearest ambulance station.