VIOLENT and abusive attacks on ambulance staff are on the rise, new figures show.

The number of staff at the East of England Ambulance Service attacked while trying to help patients has risen from 26 in 2010/11, to 37 in 2011/12 and 39 in 2012/13.

Figures released under a Freedom of Information Act request also show Essex has the highest number of attacks in three years, at 102, out of the six counties covered by the East of England Ambulance service.

Attacks range from punches and kicks to an assault with a weapon and even a worker being punched a number of times.

Figures show the number of working days lost due to assaults on staff rose from 99 in 2010/11 to 306 in 2012/13. Jason Gillingham, a manager at the East of England Ambulance Service said: “Our staff are out in the region every day trying to do their job, helping people and in many cases saving lives.

“The use of violence against them is truly saddening and utterly unacceptable.”

Gary Sanderson, a spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service, said the trust is working with police to prosecute offenders.

He said: “Work has been ongoing with the six local police constabularies to ensure physical assaults on staff are prosecuted wherever possible.

“This has resulted in sanctions ranging from restorative justice to custodial sentences being imposed.

“Any attack on a member of staff in the line of duty is totally unacceptable.

“This work will continue to try to reduce incidents of violence against our staff and to demonstrate to the public that this will not be tolerated.”

Essex Police said they take all allegations of assault seriously.

Lesley Salter, Southend councillor responsible for health, said: “I find it very worrying, the fact the number of assaults is going up.

“These people are out in the community to try to help others who are in trouble and for this to happen to them I find really worrying.

“These people do a wonderful job and for them to be subject to these attacks is horrifying really.”