2 KILLED IN CRASH WITH AMBULANCE; 999 call was for a cut finger.

TWO people died in a crash with an ambulance on a 999 call to a patient with a cut finger.

Their car collided with the mercy vehicle at a junction where traffic lights have been out of action for four days because of the holidays.

The ambulance crew treated the victims, an elderly man and woman, at the scene before themselves being taken to hospital suffering from shock.

The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed the patient the crew were called out to had a cut finger which was "not serious".

An official refused to go into detail about the nature of the call or why it was treated as an emergency.

He also declined to comment on whether the ambulance had its lights and sirens on at the time of the accident.

The local council promised to investigate whether the traffic lights should have been allowed to stay out of commission for so long.

One councillor said she was "absolutely furious" they had not been repaired.

The crash happened at a busy junction in Kirkcaldy, Fife, at around 6.30pm on Hogmanay.

Retired home help Jean Jack, 65, of Kirkcaldy, suffered massive head injuries and died an hour later in hospital.

William Mullen, 69, a relative of Mrs Jack who was driving the Hyundai car, was taken to the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline but died early yesterday.

He also came from Kirkcaldy.

Mrs Jack's husband Douglas, 67, was seriously hurt, but his life is not thought to be in danger.

Firefighters took 40 minutes to cut him and Mr Mullen from the wreckage.

The ambulance official said the crew involved in the crash, a man and a woman, were "bearing up reasonably well under the circumstances but are quite upset".

Both were treated for shock in hospital.

It is understood the traffic lights, at the junction between Dunnikier Way and Hendry Road in Kirkcaldy, have been out of action since a car hit them on Monday.

An investigation was under way last night to find out if the lack of traffic signals played a part in the crash. Another theory was that someone in the car may have fallen ill.

Fife Council's roads maintenance manager David Rennie expressed deep regret over the accident, and said: "We will be holding an inquiry as a matter of urgency. If there is a problem, we will put it right."

Local councillor Ann Watters said something should have been done sooner about the lights.

She added: "I'm absolutely furious about this. I drove through there and noticed that you could have trouble if you don't pay attention.

"I reported this to the transport manager after hearing about the accident, and the lights are still out."

A council spokeswoman later pledged the lights would be repaired today.

She said: "Regrettably, the festive season has had an impact on the repair time. Clear signs were erected warning drivers the lights were out of action."