Paramedic's purse stolen as thieves break into ambulance

The paramedics returned to find the windows of their ambulance smashed

Thieves stole a paramedic's purse and keys along with medical supplies when they broke into an ambulance while its crew was attending a 999 call.

The crew was responding to the emergency in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, at 01:30 BST when they returned to find the vehicle's windows had been smashed.

An operations manager for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said "it just gets worse".

Staffordshire Police confirmed "nothing that is dangerous was taken".

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A spokeswoman for Staffordshire Police said paramedics had been called to attend a woman in distress at St Ann Street, Hanley.

Steve Rust, from West Midlands Ambulance Service, tweeted: "It just gets worse! One of Stoke Hub's Ambulances was broken into whilst the crew were attending to a patient! Equipment stolen, crew personal belongings stolen including purse and car/house keys!"

Police said, aside from the personal belongings, canisters of oxygen and nitrous oxide and life support kits were taken.

The commander of policing in Stoke-on-Trent North is appealing for information.

In a tweet, West Midlands Ambulance Service later thanked children from Hanley who found a kit bag and canister in a local park.