WEST Midlands Ambulance Service has named the 66-year-old technician killed after an object struck his vehicle's windscreen in Herefordshire.

Ambulance technician Jeremy Daw, known to friends as Jack, died on Saturday morning while responding to a 999 call.

The former paramedic, from Hereford, had come out of retirement to help during Covid-19 pandemic, the ambulance service said.

Paying tribute, the service's emergency operations delivery director Nathan Hudson said: "He was a remarkable character. He was one of life's good guys and he will be sorely missed in and around Hereford."

He described Mr Daw's death as a "tragic accident and he told how he had retired as a paramedic in November 2020 before rejoining as a technician in January this year to "support the trust during the pandemic".

Speaking about the incident, Mr Hudson said: "We don't think this was malicious, we think this is a tragic accident."

He said the trust was alerted to the incident just before 8am on Saturday when a 999 call came through.

He said: "About a minute after eight we had a 999 call to say the crew had been involved in an incident, whereby an object of some description had gone through and pierced the windscreen and one of the crew members were unconscious.

"The driver of the vehicle, who was also injured, was able to get out and try and help and support Jack because he was unconscious and started life-saving treatment to try and resuscitate him."

The Midlands Air Ambulance, two emergency ambulance crews and paramedic officers attended the incident but, despite the best efforts of medics at the scene, he could not be saved.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “Sadly, despite everyone’s best efforts, nothing could be done to save our colleague, who was the front passenger, and he was confirmed dead at the scene.

“His crewmate, the driver, was also injured in the incident. He has received treatment at hospital and has subsequently been discharged.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service chief executive Anthony Marsh described what happened as "truly awful news" and he said: "My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of those involved at this very difficult time."

West Mercia Police said the ambulance was travelling towards Leominster at the time of the incident and they are asking anyone who may have seen the incident or anyone who has dashcam footage to contact officers on 101, quoting incident 00101i of 24 April.