Ambulance crews were receiving a new 999 call every 20 seconds after the clocks turned midnight.
East Midlands Ambulance Service received 1,021 emergency and urgent calls during the first seven hours of 2020, with a new 999 call received every 20 seconds throughout the busiest hours.
By 3am, its 999 control rooms had taken almost 600 emergency and urgent calls – a figure not normally reached until at least 9am, even on busy days.
Calls were for a variety of conditions including trips and falls, breathing problems and crashes.
Many calls related to illness or injury suffered as a result of too much alcohol.
Strategic commander Ben Holdaway said "We expect New Year's Eve and into News Year’s Day to be our busiest time of the year, but we have also seen unprecedented levels of activity in the service over the last couple of months.
"Our teams have been working tirelessly to prepare for the overall rise in demand expected during December, January and into February and we continue to work closely with colleagues in other NHS organisations to ensure patients receive the help they need.
"Crews in our emergency ambulances and fast response vehicles, volunteer responders and teams in our Emergency Operations Centres have worked fantastically over the first few hours of the year.
"The support they have received from our mechanics, support staff and administration teams has been equally impressive.
"I would like to send my personal thanks to all colleagues and volunteers for their hard work and wish them a Happy New Year."
EMAS is urging people to use only use 999 for urgent and immediately life-threatening conditions, such as:Suspected strokes, breathing difficulties, heavy bleeding/bleeding that won’t stop and loss of consciousness.
