South Central Ambulance Service 'saddened' after garden furniture stolen from from HQ

One of the UK's leading ambulance services says it is 'saddened' after newly bought garden furniture was taken from its headquarters in Oxfordshire.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) had created the outdoor space at its Bicester HQ as part of efforts to look after staff and give them a place where they can take time out from their busy jobs.

The NHS trust said the furniture was taken over the weekend and colleagues are shocked that the site had been targeted.

SCAS serves a population of over 7 million across the Thames Valley and the South Coast and answers over 500,000 urgent calls a year. The service has 4,500 staff and over 1,100 volunteers, to provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It has now appealed for whoever took the furniture to return it and has also passed in CCTV footage of the area to Thames Valley Police.

In a statement it said: "We are really saddened that over the weekend our new garden furniture was stolen from our headquarters building in Bicester.

"This newly created space is an important area for our staff to sit and take a few minutes out from their pressured and intense work roles and we are shocked that this area has been targeted.

"CCTV footage of the area will be passed onto our Policing colleagues and we are appealing for its return, thank you."

Anyone with information should contact the Ambulance Service or Thames Valley Police.