Patient hijacks ambulance in joyride scare

A RUNAWAY patient stole an ambulance minibus and took four pensioners on a joyride before crashing into a fence.

The driver reportedly stole the vehicle from outside Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after offering the driver a bag of 1 coins to take him home.

When the driver refused and left to get security, the patient jumped into the vehicle and sped off, with four pensioners and a carer in the back.

He raced around the hospital grounds for around ten minutes before crashing into a fence and trying to hobble away.

When police arrived they found the four passengers shaken but unhurt.

The long-term patient was taken back to his ward and a police spokesman said a report had been sent to the procurator fiscal.

A hospital source said: "The guy is ill, so he didn't get very far before crashing. It was very alarming for all concerned."