Police have launched an investigation after a green laser was shone at an East Anglian Air Ambulance on its way to a medical emergency - the seventh such incident in three years.
The helicopter crew captured video footage of the beam being pointed at them while they were heading to an incident near Attleborough.
Norfolk Constabulary has now received seven reports of lasers being shone at aircraft over the town since 2021, but this is the first time the light has been caught on video by the ambulance service.
It has prompted an urgent reminder that shining a light at an aircraft in flight is a punishable offence and an appeal to find those responsible.
Captain Seb Powderham, from EAAA's aviation partner Babcock International Group, said: "Lasers directed at aircraft can significantly impact flight operations.
"Most importantly, if a laser were to incapacitate the pilot's ability to operate due to impaired vision, flight safety would be compromised.
"Short-term effects include temporary flash blindness and potential distraction at a critical stage of flight. Long-term effects could include permanent damage to the eye."
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He added that pilots may have to carry out emergency manoeuvres to protect the crew which could result in an aircraft being forced to land or a mission being aborted, putting lives at risk.
"We've looked into every incident and haven't been able to identify the person responsible.
"We think the person responsible is probably in the town centre at the time.”
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