CHURCH: Thieves put an ambulance crew at risk by stealing their vital hand-held radios while they dealt with an emergency call.

Paramedics from Accrington ambulance station were called to a patient at Blackpool Street, Church, at 2am on Wednesday.

While they were in the house treating the patient somebody stole the radios from the ambulance.

The radios are a vital as they provide the only contact to the station if the crew is in danger or needs back up.

Chris Rowan, leading ambulance paramedic, said: "The reason we are issued with these radios is for our own safety.

"The radios had been left in the ambulance while the paramedics went into the house to see the patient.

"They are of no use to whoever pinched them as they are only tuned into our frequency, which means whoever has got them could listen to our calls until the battery runs out.

"They can't be used as CB radios or anything like that."

Anybody with information should call Accrington Police on 01254 382141.

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