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Warning after lasers shone at in-flight East Anglian Air Ambulance

An East of England Air Ambulance crew captured footage of a laser being pointed at their aircraft

An air ambulance service is warning that shining lasers at its in-flight helicopters could endanger lives as well as being an offence.

The East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) said there had been seven incidents of lasers being pointed at its aircraft near Attleborough, Norfolk, since 2021.

It has released video of an incident at 02:30 GMT on 27 December.

Norfolk Police says it is investigating and has appealed for information.

The EAAA charity provides 24/7 emergency support in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Shaun Whitmore/BBC East of England Air AmbulanceShaun Whitmore/BBC
The air ambulance was attending a medical emergency near Attleborough at the time

Seb Powderham, from EAAA's aviation partner, Babcock International Group, said: "Lasers directed at aircraft can significantly impact flight operations.

"It could result in a delay to those experiencing life-threatening medical emergencies and ultimately putting lives at risk.

"We hope by releasing the footage we can not only support Norfolk Police in identifying those responsible for this particular incident but can further highlight the risks of shining lasers at any aircraft."

He added pilots may be required to manoeuvre the aircraft to protect the crew from the source of the laser, and update planned landing options or abandon the mission altogether.

"Most importantly, if a laser were to incapacitate the pilot's ability to operate due to impaired vision, flight safety would be compromised," he said.

"Short-term effects include temporary flash blindness and potential distraction at a critical stage of flight, while long-term effects could include permanent damage to the eye."

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Seb PowderhamShaun Whitmore/BBC
Seb Powderham said the lasers can "significantly impact flight operations"

Norfolk Police has received seven reports, all in the Attleborough area, since 2021, and is appealing for information about this latest occurrence, which is the first time it had been caught on video.

PC Dion Phillips said: "All the reported incidents happen overnight, often in the early hours of the morning.

"We've looked into every incident, and haven't been able to identify the person responsible, which is why we're appealing to the local community and people living in Attleborough to share any information with us.

"We think the person responsible is probably in the town centre at the time."

EAAA pilots have reported other incidences of lasers during night-time operations across the region.

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