An off-duty paramedic who raced to offer help during a life-threatening medical emergency in Banbury had his car radio stolen.

Thieves tried to steal the emergency blue light from the roof of Steve Young's car as he was treating a woman suffering chest pains at a home on the Ruscott estate in Banbury.

Mr Young, 47, was alerted by control room staff after an ambulance was called at 9.15pm on December 7.

He is part of a first attenders scheme, in which paramedics volunteer to turn up at life-threatening incidents even when they are off-duty.

Mr Young is one of only nine paramedics in the county who have volunteered to be part of the scheme, which was introduced earlier this year.

He drove from his home and was at the scene within minutes. But when the ambulance arrived soon after, his colleagues saw three youths running away from Mr Young's car, which was parked outside the woman's home.

Thieves had broken into it and stolen the radio, worth £120.

They had also tried to steal the flashing blue emergency light, worth about £150, from the roof.

Mr Young said: "I've been a paramedic in Oxfordshire for 21 years.

"Nothing like this has happened before. I feel pretty angry."

But he vowed not to be deterred from remaining on the first attenders scheme.

Steve Haynes, deputy director of Oxfordshire Ambulance Service, said: "Staff who sign up to this scheme are under no obligation. They choose to come out and help save lives.

"Unfortunately this kind of thing does happen to ambulance staff in Oxfordshire from time to time.

"We have had goods stolen from ambulances. I think people think they can get drugs from inside the ambulance, but that's not the case.

"I suppose there might be a re-sale value for some of the equipment, but I'm not sure who you could sell ambulance equipment to."

Anyone with information should call Thames Valley Police on 01865 266000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.