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A paramedic has been injured wrestling an imitation gun from a man during a bogus callout.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service described the incident as “sinister”, adding it was just one of many attacks paramedics are subjected to every year.

Spokesman John McPoland said the incident happened on Thursday night (Nov 16) in the Montgomery Road area of East Belfast . A crew was responding to reports of a sudden death at 8pm, he said.

He added: “However when the crew arrived at the scene they discovered that the call was, in fact, a bogus one. They were met by a male person and after a short time found a female in another room.

“The male then left the premises and returned a short time later, brandishing the imitation firearm in a threatening manner towards the crew. One crew member was able to disarm the male and called for assistance from PSNI who arrived promptly and arrested the individual.

“The member of staff who disarmed the assailant suffered a back injury in so doing. This is the latest in a series of incidents involving attacks, or threats of attack, on our crews and this particular one was a lot more sinister in nature with the call being bogus and an imitation firearm being produced.”

Mr McPoland said that the NIAS “would reiterate its call that anyone involved in any type of assault on our crews should face the full rigours of the law, especially if they have been called to a scene under false pretences”.

He added: “Our staff are there to provide help to the helpless and to remove fear from the fearful and yet all too often they are being faced with situations which are becoming more serious in nature.”

The PSNI confirmed they were called to a property in the Montgomery Road area of East Belfast shortly before 9pm on Thursday, November 16.

A spokesman added: "A 67-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and improper use of public electronic communications network was later released on bail pending further enquiries."