AMBULANCE staff at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust says their patients and the public were put at risk in the early hours of last Wednesday morning when the main route to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital – Romsey Road in Winchester – was blocked at several points by bins, rubbish and barriers.

A South Central Ambulance Service spokesman: “This careless and blatant disregard for the safety of staff, patients and other members of the public is totally unacceptable and had the potential to cause serious risk to life.

“On multiple occasions ambulance staff had to stop and clear up the mess, only to have to stop and clear the path again later during the night.

“We would like to thank one member of the public who stopped to help our paramedic move the obstruction to the side of the road.”

If you witnessed anyone acting suspiciously on the Romsey Road overnight on January 11, call Hampshire Police on 101.