Paramedics on the frontline of the fight against coronavirus arrived at work to find holes drilled in the tyres of six ambulances.

The vehicles were taken off the road after the damage was discovered at a vehicle preparation centre in Ramsgate shortly after 7am today.

One paramedic posted on Facebook: "Just when you thought this country couldn't get any worse, someone comes along and drills holes in our ambulance tyres. So we're now all off the road."

The damage comes as Kent's ambulance service says it is under "significant pressure" amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Already one death from the virus has been confirmed in Medway, while patients are fighting the infection at hospitals in Margate and Ashford.

With the number of cases increasing every day, pressure on the healthcare system is expected to rise.

Janine Compton, a spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service, says most people have been "fantastically supportive" of its staff, but condemned those who targeted the vehicles.

She said: "We can confirm that six of our frontline ambulances were deliberately damaged overnight at our Make Ready Centre in Thanet.

"Our fleet staff have worked tremendously hard this morning to ensure that the impact on our patients was minimal. However, it was additional work at a time we are already under significant pressure.

"It is extremely disappointing that an individual would target the ambulance service in this way, at a time when the vast majority of the public have been fantastically supportive of our staff during these difficult times.

"We urge anyone with any information on this to contact Kent Police."

Police say they are investigating reports of the damage.

Anyone with information should call 01843 222289, quoting reference 46/52297/20.

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