Laser attack dazzled air ambulance crew

The Great North Air Ambulance Service was flying towards its base near Eaglescliffe

The crew of an air ambulance were dazzled by a laser pen which was shone at their aircraft during an emergency callout.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) was flying over Washington at 17:35 GMT on Monday when a green laser was beamed into the helicopter's cabin.

Pilot JJ Smith said no-one suffered damage to their eyesight but he called the attack "incredibly dangerous".

GNAAS said it has previously been targeted with lasers while flying back to its base near Eaglescliffe.

Pilot JJ Smith said shining a laser beam at aircraft was "incredibly dangerous"

Mr Smith said pointing lasers at aircraft can cause "temporary sight loss which can lead to the pilot losing control of the aircraft and putting themselves and the rest of the team at risk".

"In these instances, the pilot may be required to manoeuvre the aircraft to protect the crew from the source of the laser or change landing options, which could potentially delay our team delivering vital pre-hospital care to an ill or injured person.

"Those who shine a laser directly at a helicopter might think it’s fun to see what happens, but it’s actually a serious offence."

Anyone caught shining a laser at an aircraft faces an unlimited fine and up to five years in jail.