Tuesday, June 19, 2007

** Manchester, UK medics menaced by mobs

** Birmingham, UK air medics interrupt Sharapova tennis match

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** Manchester medics literally almost battled to treat a patient Sunday, after a mob set upon the ambulance they were in. The BBC (June 18) said the incident, which occurred near the Hazel Grove Bamboo nightclub, played out with the yobs rocking the vehicle and breaking a window. According to the newspaper, as many as 15 men had previously assaulted the 20 year old patient who is currently in hospital in stable condition with a serious head injury. Police continue to investigate the incident.

** Despite the tennis match sporting big name player Maria Sharapova, a Birmingham semi-final against Marion Baroli Sunday saw an air ambulance team as the actual stars. The Birmingham Mail (Catherine Lillington/June 18) said air medics were hailed to the DFS Classic to attend a woman who had fallen from temporary spectator stands. Halting the game for approximately 30 minutes, the drama saw the medevac chopper land on Edgbaston Priory Club practice courts. A ground EMS crew also got into the act, treating an elderly man who had collapsed in a different part of the stadium.