DOCTORS in the north Pennines who make out-of-hours patient visits have taken on a Renault Kangoo Trekka 4x4 and seven 1.9 diesel Kangoos packed with hi-tech equipment to automatically direct them to patients.

The vehicles are fitted with phones, faxes and satellite navigation equipment, as well as emergency medical kits.

The Northern Doctors Urgent Care co-operative covers 7,500 square miles around Northumberland and north Durham. Its Newcastle office issues a brief to one of seven duty doctors via on-board fax machines in the Kangoos and the patient's location is transmitted to the car's satellite navigation equipment.

Eric Peacock, the co-operative's corporate and financial manager, said: 'The Kangoo's cabin allows for all the communications equipment and reading lights to be installed neatly for ease of use without intruding into driver or passenger space.'