Attacks on ambulance crews rising

People who attack ambulance crews in Greater Manchester are being warned they will be prosecuted.

A report has listed incidents including a paramedic having boiling water poured over him, one having blood spat in his face and another being stabbed.

Greater Manchester Ambulance Service, backed by trade unions, has launched a poster campaign to tackle the problem.

It said it now only attends addresses where there has been violence in the past if there is a police escort.

The report said there were 341 incidents of physical or verbal abuse reported between April 2004 and March 2005.

'Mindless few'

Since April 2005, there have been 223 violent or aggressive acts reported by ambulance staff.

John Burnside, chief executive of GMAS, said: "Our paramedics and technicians save lives on a daily basis and it is saddening that a mindless few are subjecting them to violence and abuse.

"This not only places the crews at risk, but also prevents them from doing their jobs.

"There is an unacceptable level of violence and abuse directed towards staff that we simply will not tolerate and we want to send out a very clear message to anyone who assaults our crews, either verbally or physically, that they face the very real possibility of prosecution."