Bristol paramedic finds car covered in graffiti after 12-hour shift
A Bristol paramedic finished a 12-hour-shift to find her car covered in graffiti.
Vandals spray painted Bronwen Newbury's car in the ambulance service's staff car park.
The 27-year-old, who was coming off a long shift on the morning of Sunday 21 March said she broke down “a little bit” when she saw the damage.
The paramedic’s white Kia Ceed was parked in the Soundwell Ambulance Station staff car park overnight in Landsdown Road and her vehicle wasn’t the only one daubed with paint.
Bronwen said: “It says ‘don’t call am 999’…I think they were going to write ‘ambulance’ and changed it to ‘999’”.
“The girl next to me also had her car painted. It was in the staff car park, so they would have had a really good idea that we were working for the ambulance service. She had two or three big pink dots down one side.”
Bronwen's car is vital to get her to base in South Wales. During the four years she has worked for the South Western Ambulance Service, she has saved many lives.
Upon discovering the graffiti, Bronwen said: “It made me feel pretty angry more than anything and disappointed, I’d just done 12 hours in work for my fourth shift in a row in like six shifts in six days.
"You feel like you’re making a difference and helping people and that’s what spurs you on through the long hours. Then you get back and that's how your help and your hard work pays off.
“I didn’t know whether I was upset about it or angry about it. I was trying to put a brave face on it because quite a few people were around. Initially I was quite upset and then when that subsided I was really angry about it.
“When I got in the car to drive home, I got a bit emotional. I phoned my partner to let him know what had happened and just got a bit teary.”
Bronwen posted on social media to share what had happened. Matt Churchward from Spray Coating Specialists saw the post and offered to fix it for her.
South Western Ambulance Service said on Twitter: “On Saturday night, some of our colleagues working a night shift at Soundwell Ambulance Station, Bristol had their cars vandalised in our car park. This is unacceptable, Avon and Somerset Police have been informed.
“If you know any additional information please call 101 and quote CRN 5221060379.”
Avon and Somerset Police have been contacted for a comment.
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