An ambulance was broken in to and personal items stolen as a crew helped a patient into their home.

It happened on Saturday evening, around 7.30pm, while staff from private patient transport service ERS Medical helped a patient home to the Bishopsgate area of Norwich from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).

In a public post shared on Facebook, reportedly from one of the crew members, they said they offloaded the patient - who needed to be on a stretcher - before putting up the ramp to the ambulance, locking the door, and taking the patient inside.

But they said: 'On our return a lady across the road said a couple of youths went up to the vehicle, tried the doors, and spent a few minutes at the driver's side and got the door open. She then saw them grab our bags and run off. As a result we are now down two iPads, house keys, car keys, and a purse. What makes it alright to watch a crew take a patient and then break into an ambulance and steal personal belongings?'

In another public Facebook post Kerrie Smith, who works for ERS, said: 'The Norwich patient transport crew had battled in through the snow from their earlier cut off rural homes to get in to work and ensure NNUH patients got home from hospital.'

An ERS spokesman confirmed the items had been stolen, and responding to concern the crew would have to pay to replace the items themselves said: 'It is now a police matter and we await the outcome of any investigation before commenting on insurance matters.'

They added: 'Over the past few days our crews have gone above and beyond to continue our service, often walking, mountain biking through the snow or sleeping locally in hotels (at the business expense) to make sure they can complete their shift. We have had excellent feedback from clinical commissioning groups and individual hospital trusts regarding the continuity of service, particularly in the East of England.'

Anyone with information should call 101.