IT beggars belief that anyone can attack or abuse ambulance crews who are doing their best - in the most difficult of circumstances - to help people.

But, as we report on Page 5 today, there has been a rise in the amount of both physical and verbal abuse to which paramedics in Worcestershire and Herefordshire are subjected.

Staff have reported that they have had to endure being punched, bitten or spat at in the course of their duty. And ambulance service bosses fear that such a catalogue of violence may be only the tip of the iceberg.

They think many attacks are going unreported because paramedics don't think the incidents are serious enough.

Now, they want to encourage staff to report every incident so they can be clear about the extent of the problem.

What then needs to happen, we believe, is that every case should be examined to see if the offender can be prosecuted.

The ambulance service has, in the past, been able to bring some cases to court.

That policy must continue so this vital message is hammered home: Everyone in the community must realise that front-line ambulance staff should be able to undertake their mercy missions without the fear of violence or abuse hanging over them.