TRIBUTES have been paid to an ambulance technician who was killed when his vehicle was hit by an object.

Jeremy Daw, affectionately known as Jack, had come out of retirement to work for West Midlands Ambulance Service during the pandemic, and died when the vehicle he was travelling in was hit while responding to a 999 call in Herefordshire on April 24.

Since then, friends, family and former colleagues have paid tribute to the 66 year-old, who was described as a mentor to many.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said on Twitter they do not believe the incident was malicious.

A tweet said: "This incident is being treated as an accident and there is not believed to be malicious intent. "

West Midlands Ambulance Service chief executive Anthony Marsh said: “This is truly awful news, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of those involved at this very difficult time.

“I am enormously proud of all the staff and the university students as part of their clinical placement that worked so hard and professionally to try to save our colleague.

“I am sorry that despite their best efforts, he could not be saved.”

A Facebook post from an account named Jack Daw posted a photo of the much-loved paramedic, sayign "My Father, my hero" which had dozens of comments from friends and well-wishers.

Andy Pryce-Rattle wrote: "I’m so very sorry for you and your family at this time.

"Jack was a hero amongst his colleagues on station and will so very badly missed.

"RIP Jack, stand down, you’ve given your all in the service of others."

Ian Mark Skyrme wrote: "A man who helped me get a grip on more than one occasion.

"When working with him I felt invincible and we could sort anything.

"I had nothing but love and respect for Jeremy, Jack, Colour Daw, mentor and role model.

"He showed faith in me when I doubted myself. I always felt good before, during and after a shift with him.

"My heart goes out to his family and of course to my Ambulance family. Stand down, stand down."

The crew were en-route to a 999 call in Herefordshire when an object hit the windscreen of their vehicle at the junction of Moreton Road and the A49.

Multiple vehicles attended the scene, with two emergency crews, paramedic officers, the Midlands Air Ambulance and two Accident Rescue Service doctors.

West Mercia Police are asking anyone who may have seen the incident or have dashcam footage to contact them on 101 quoting incident 00101i of 24 April.

West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Emergency Services operations delivery director Nathan Hudson, said: “On Saturday we tragically lost our dear friend and colleague Jeremy Daw, known among staff as Jack, in an incident in Herefordshire.

“Jeremy was a long serving member of staff with nearly 30 years’ service who always put patient care at the heart of everything he did. He was one of life’s good guys.

“During his time with the ambulance service, he became a paramedic and worked in Hereford and Leominster, as well as flying on some of the region’s air ambulances.

"As well as being a paramedic, he worked as a mentor helping countless other staff to develop their skills and patient care.

“He loved his family, his colleagues and his patients. He was a loving husband, father and a fantastic member of our team and will be missed dearly.

“His death is particularly cruel as had only retired last year before returning in January this year as an Emergency Medical Technician.

“Our key focus at the minute is ensuring we do everything to support his family and also our staff.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the efforts of our staff who attended the incident yesterday and our call room staff, but also the many staff from other parts of the region who volunteered to come and work in Hereford last night and today to allow their colleagues time to come to terms with what has happened.

“We will be working closely with Jeremy (Jack)’s family and the family liaison officers from West Mercia Police, in how they wish to remember Jeremy (Jack).”

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “Jeremy – known by his colleagues as Jack - represented the best of the NHS.

"After almost three decades’ service, he returned to the frontline from a well-earned retirement to help patients during the coronavirus pandemic and served as a mentor to younger colleagues.

“On behalf of everyone across the NHS, our heartfelt condolences go to Jeremy’s family, friends and colleagues, as we also wish his crewmate a swift recovery.”