A South West Ambulance Service collapsed in Gloucester Crown Court this evening while telling the harrowing tale of her experience wiith a stabbing victim she was called to attend to.

Liz Griffiths was one of the speakers at a restorative justice event organised by Gloucestershire Police to educate young people about the consequences of carrying knives.

She took to the witness stand to describe to a packed courtroom a recent experience she had whilst attending a stabbing scene but became so overwhelmed with emotion at recalling the incident that she suddenly collapsed.

Liz and her colleague Abi Morgan were both at the event on behalf of South West Ambulance Service to share with the young people there how frightening such a scene can be - saying "we work alone, no stab vest, we don't know what we will be faced with until we get there."

"We hope that you learn and take on board the effects knife crime has" said Abi.

Liz told her story first but when she stood up she was already shaking and teary and told the people watching "as you can see I am already quite emotional here."

As she described the 999 call she received and her journey to the scene she said how her "heart raced a bit like it is now."

"I wondered if it was safe, are the police on their way, is he alive or dead......"

It was at that point she knelt down whispering to her colleague she felt dizzy, within seconds she had passed out and several people including her colleague Abi and Judge Jamie Tabor QC rushed to her aid.

Shortly after Liz came round but remained lying down. She insisted the event carried on and asked Abi to continue her story.

Judge Tabor asked for some water for Liz before standing to address the young people saying "just to remind you that is not rehearsed, that was genuine. That is the effect these things have."

It became quite apparent why Liz felt unwell when Abi continued her story which said how Liz tried to save the victim but as she knelt there she saw "blood pouring out of his chest on my hands, arms, trousers. I thought how could someone do this to someone's dad, brother, nephew. The man was the same age as me."

Liz's tale concluded on a personal note when she talked of going home to her children at the end of the day and they ask 'how was you work today mummy'.

"I have to lie to protect them from the evil in our society" she concluded.