Killed Hereford ambulance worker had come out of retirement

Jeremy Daw, known to friends as Jack (right, with friend Martin Fulloway, left) "took great pride in his work"

A technician who died after an object struck the ambulance he was in was "one of life's good guys", the service said.

Jeremy Daw, 66, known to friends as Jack, died on Saturday morning near the junction of Moreton Road and the A49 in Herefordshire while on a 999 call.

The former paramedic and grandfather had come out of retirement in January to help during the Covid-19 pandemic.

West Mercia Police said it was satisfied that what happened was not the result of a deliberate act.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said an "object of some description" pierced the windscreen in "a tragic accident".

Jeremy Daw, a historian and metal detectorist (pictured left), had come out of retirement to help during the Covid-19 pandemic

Nathan Hudson (pictured) said Mr Daw's "patients love him, his colleagues adore him"

Emergency operations delivery director Nathan Hudson said Mr Daw had worked in Leominster and Hereford for almost 30 years and had taken on air ambulance duties.

"He was a remarkable character," he said.

"He was one of life's good guys and he will be sorely missed.

"If you speak to the staff at Hereford, what they remember is that he used to go out and clean the vehicles every morning, he would wipe the windscreens down... he took great pride in his work."

Mr Daw, from Hereford, was in the front passenger seat and his crewmate, who was driving, was also injured.

The pair had been en route to a 999 call along the A49 from Hereford at about 08:00 BST on Saturday when the incident happened.

Mr Hudson said the driver had tried to "help and support Jack, who was unconscious, and started life-saving treatment to try and resuscitate him", before colleagues arrived to take over.

'Represented the best'

Mr Daw, who was confirmed dead at the scene, only had eight shifts remaining before retiring again, after initially leaving the service in November.

Mr Hudson said his death would have been "so tragic at any time", but it coming so close to retirement "almost adds to the story of tragedy".

Mr Daw did a "massive" amount for the local area and was "particularly good at dealing with mental health issues", he added.

Friend Martin Fulloway said: "He was always half cup full, he was never down, you never saw him miserable at work and if you had a problem, you'd go and speak to Jack."

The crew were travelling on this road on Saturday morning

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said Mr Daw "represented the best" of the health service.

"After almost three decades' service, he returned to the front line from a well-earned retirement to help patients... and served as a mentor to younger colleagues," he added.

Doctors living in the area came out within minutes of the incident and a student paramedic stopped on their way back from a night shift, the ambulance service said.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said officers were "still thoroughly investigating this incident".

However, he said that although investigations were "at an early stage, we are satisfied that this was not a deliberate act".