AMBULANCE workers were attacked almost 300 times during the first lockdown, figures show.

South Western Ambulance Service recorded almost 300 assaults on its paramedics and emergency care assistants in Wiltshire between March and May, the BBC reported.

That was up by around 100 compared to the same period in 2019.

SWAST chief executive Will Warrender said: “On the road when it comes to physical abuse and violence we’ve seen an increase of about 20 per cent.

“That’s about one case every single day, ranging from punching and kicking – but really worryingly incidents of spitting towards our staff.”