Allan Norman was pelted with plastic pellets, believed to be from a BB gun, after being called to Watts Road in Portsmouth.

He was trying to treat a man in his 30s who had fallen from the back of a lorry onto a kerb when the attack happened about midday yesterday .

Mr Norman, who fortunately was wearing a helmet as he was shot in the head, branded the act ‘unforgiveable.’

He said: ‘I was making a call to the control room to find out the estimated time of arrival of the ambulance when I felt something hit the top of my head. I looked down and noticed a pellet from a BB gun on the floor.

‘It’s a good job I was wearing my helmet or it could have been a lot worse.

‘Whilst we were treating the patient, there were four more shots fired at us and two of them hit the ambulance.

‘It’s unforgiveable. This person’s acts were senseless.’

Neil Cook, head of operations at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: ‘We are appalled at this incident today and are relieved to hear that no-one was injured in this attack.’

Witnesses are urged to contact Hampshire Police on 0845 045 4545.