MORE than 1,000 healthcare workers, including paramedics were assaulted in Hampshire last year as they were carrying out life saving work.

The figures come after it was revealed how three police officers a day are attacked in the county.

It prompted calls by chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation John Apter to call for assaults on emergency services to be classed as hate crimes.

Last year there were 1,118 physical and verbal assaults on police officers with some even facing punches, kicks and eye gouging last weekend.

Now figures released by South Central Ambulance Service reveal other vital 999 staff regularly face abuse.

Between June 2015 and May 2016, there were 281 physical and verbal assaults on South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) staff members while they carried out their life saving work.

A spokesperson for SCAS said: “The Trust will also place markers or alerts on the addresses of patients or individuals who have been aggressive or violent towards our staff.

“If a member of our staff is assaulted, then we will work with the Police to try and obtain a sanction against the perpetrator.”

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust has also seen a huge amount of assaults during the year 2014/15, with 1,627 physical attacks reported, more than four every single day.

University Hospital Southampton staff have also faced abuse with 275 reported assaults in the same year, while Solent NHS Trust staff were subjected to 196 attacks.

Staff from Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Isle of Wight NHS Trust reported 175 and 95 attacks respectively, during the 2014/15 period.

Firefighters in the county have also faced anti-social behaviour, with some members of the public deliberately obstructing them as they try to carry out their duty and even throwing stones at them.

Mark Chapman, acting secretary of the Fire Brigade Union, said that some addresses in Hampshire required more firefighters to go to small blazes than are necessary, tying up vital resources, as multiple fire crews were needed to restrain the crowd that would try and disrupt them.

Mr Chapman added: “Emergency services are paid for by the public to keep the public safe, anything that is stopping that is despicable.

“We want to make people aware of this and for pressure from the community to be put on people who are behaving like thugs.

“These people need to face the responsibility of their actions and realise their anti social behaviour puts people’s lives at risk.”

Figures for assaults on Hampshire firefighters were not available at the time of print, but Hampshire Fire and Rescue have said they experience more instances of people trying to disrupt firefighters doing their job, rather than physical assaults.