A PARAMEDIC has been bitten by a male patient in Ballycastle.
The Ambulance Service said the paramedic could not carry on with the rest of his shift, meaning that the the Co Antrim seaside town was forced to rely on stations in neighbouring Ballymoney and Coleraine, Co Derry, for ambulance cover.
A service spokesman said the ambulance crew had been called to a house in Ballycastle on Thursday morning following reports a man in his late teens was unconscious.
When the crew arrived the man became aggressive and bit the paramedic. The patient was later arrested and was later released on bail.
Ambulance Service spokesman John McPoland said: "This incident once again highlights the potential dangers faced by our crews when attending calls".
"The paramedic has more than 20 years' service, dedicated to the care of those who need our help," he said.
"It is disgraceful that we have witnessed yet another incident of this type."
Mr McPoland said attacks on ambulance staff should carry a custodial sentence.
