WE are indeed fortunate in Hereford and Worcester to have on call life-saving staff who have proved in recent years to have one of the best response time in the UK. It is an outrage (Worcester News, June 25) that these life-savers have during this time been submitted to a massive rise in violent attacks. Also, under new working regulations, these life-savers are not paid during break times (June 2005). Imagine the worst scenario of a child badly injured in a road accident but the nearest paramedic cannot attend due to being on a break.

If the community at large are to be made aware how important and valuable these ambulance crews are, and that any distraction either verbal or physical is detrimental to everyone, surely the authority should set a good example. And that is to pay all emergency staff during their breaks.

MICHAEL ASHBY

West Malvern.