An ambulance driver took a badly-injured patient to hospital despite being partially blinded by a laser beam.

Clare Bray, 40, from Benson, was on an emergency call and negotiating a set of red traffic lights when a car pulled alongside her ambulance and one of the occupants shone a beam into her left eye.

Ms Bray, 40, who works for South Central Ambulance Service, used her good eye to register the number of the suspect’s car as they sped off and shouted it to attendant Jason Pacey, who was treating a 52-year-old assault victim in the back.

The ambulance technician continued driving to get the patient into the accident and emergency unit before seeking medical help herself.

The drama happened shortly after 11pm on Tuesday as the crew answered a 999 call to an assault in Reading.

The duo treated the attack victim at the scene before putting him on a stretcher and taking him to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Ms Bray, who is married, was treated at the hospital's emergency department amid fears her retina had been damaged.

She attended the specialist eye unit and was signed off ambulance duties by doctors.

She still has blurred vision in her left eye, but the damage is not believed to be permanent.

There have been 155 assaults on South Central ambulance staff already this year. Last year there were 141.

Four men and a teenage girl arrested in connection with the attack have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.