A drunken man who attacked an ambulance outside York District Hospital caused an elderly crash victim, who was being transferred to Leeds for urgent surgery, to miss her operation, emergency workers have said.

The daughter of York woman Flora Squires, 73, who suffered multiple fractures and facial injuries when she was involved in a collision with a car as she cycled in the city, today condemned his "disgraceful" actions.

The daughter, who did not wish to be identified, said: "I cannot understand the mentality of someone who would do this. What possesses them to trash an ambulance outside a hospital in broad daylight? I think it is disgraceful." Mrs Squires suffered two fractures to a leg, three to an arm, a broken hand and facial injuries in the accident, which occurred at the junction of Melrosegate and Tang Hall Lane last Friday. Four of the fractures had broken through her skin and on Saturday she was due to be transferred to St James's Hospital, Leeds, for surgery.

But as she was being brought down from a ward, the ambulance was attacked outside the hospital.

Another ambulance crew waiting nearby called police after they saw a man climb into the front seat of the vehicle and start to rip the radio out. The equipment was left badly damaged. The transfer was delayed while another ambulance was found, but by the time Mrs Squires arrived in Leeds she was too late for the operation.

Her daughter said: "It is important that plastic surgery is done as soon as possible, that it why we are so annoyed at this stupid idiot. I think that for a seriously injured 73-year-old woman to suffer further indignity in this way is reprehensible."

Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokesman Nigel Metcalfe said: "It is a sad sign of the times that there has been an increase in violence and aggression towards ambulance crews and damage to vehicles."

He said the vehicle's radio was worth about £700. The service is waiting to hear from engineers whether it can be repaired.

* A man was arrested in connection with the incident and has been released on police bail.

Updated: 11:00 Tuesday, May 01, 2001