Phone stolen from volunteer during First Aid mission

A volunteer has been left devastated after his phone was stolen as helped an elderly woman during an emergency call.

Roy Williams, 68, raced to help the injured pensioner when she became ill on Sunday afternoon.

When he arrived at the scene in Northenden he saw she was ‘very unwell’ and rushed to her aid - forgetting to lock his car doors.

When he returned to his Citroën Berlingo later, he discovered that his personal iPhone 6 has been stolen from the vehicle just metres from where he had been assisting the North West Ambulance Service.

Roy, from Didsbury, who has been a first responder for 14 years, said: “I must admit it really has upset me. I have done thousands of jobs over the years and never had any trouble.

“It’s my passion - I love what I do and I like to help people and I put a lot into it. For once I’m quite upset.

“I’m at an age now where I just have to say ‘that’s society’.

“The ambulance service is under such strain but first responders are never sent out in place of an ambulance. I do it because I just want to help people.”

Roy received a call that an 87-year-old woman had collapsed outside Issano restaurant, on Palatine Road, Northenden, at around 4.30pm on Sunday November 9, he arrived within four minutes of getting the call.

Former meat wholesaler Roy volunteers as an enhanced community first responder three days a week.

He bought the phone, which is worth around £600, in February and said: “It’s my prized possession. Unfortunately it wasn’t insured.”

Community first responder manager David McNally said: “Roy had his own personal phone taken during this incident.

“He’s a well known and well respected volunteer so it’s very upsetting.”

Anyone with information about the theft should call police on 101.