A NUMBER of ambulance staff have been assaulted by patients they were sent to help in Redditch.

In separate cases around the region on Saturday and Sunday, five staff were hurt and two ambulances vandalised.

No-one was seriously injured but a spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was a weekend of utter disappointment and anger for the trust.

Craig Cooke, the trust’s assistant chief ambulance officer, said: “I simply do not know what goes through the minds of these horrible individuals.

"Not only have I had five staff assaulted whilst trying to do their job, two ambulances have had to be taken off the road meaning two less vehicles were available to respond to 999 calls.

“Thankfully, our on-board CCTV has captured some excellent footage which will be passed onto our police colleagues to assist with identifying and charging the culprits. I can only hope that the offenders are then handed generous sentences by the judicial system for their abhorrent crimes against a 999 service here to help people in their hour of need.”