A paramedic who was stabbed in the chest while treating a patient has returned to work after making a successful recovery.

Deena Evans, 39, suffered a chest wound and nerve damage after she was knifed while on an emergency call out in Wolverhampton on July 6.

She completed her first shift back at work on Friday after receiving counselling and physio over the past three months.

The brave medic said she ‘felt sick’ returning to work, but was helped through the day by her supportive colleagues.

Deena said: ‘My recovery is going well. I’m still receiving physio and counselling but it’s helping. I still have numbness in my arm but it so far hasn’t affected my job.

‘My first day I was really nervous, I felt sick and felt like I couldn’t breathe but all the staff helped me, and my crew mate always makes me laugh so it was a good shift.

‘The public support has been phenomenal, it really has been overwhelming. It certainly brings back faith in humanity, and I’m glad to be back doing my job.’

West Midlands Ambulance Service shared a picture of smiling Deena standing next to an ambulance on social media.

They wrote: ‘We spy a familiar face. Today was her first day back on the road since the incident, she had crewmate Charlie looking after her.’

Neighbours said they heard ‘blood-curdling screams’ for help when Deena and colleague Michael Hipgrave, 51, were attacked in July.

Martyn Smith, 52, of Wolverhampton, has been charged with two counts of wounding. He denies the charges and is expected to stand trial in May next year.

Deena previously said she was haunted by the attack every time she ‘closed her eyes’.

She said: ‘Things take time, physical scars heal but then there’s the mental scars after. It’s those things that’ll perhaps take the time and adjusting to what’s happened.

‘You close your eyes at night and you relive the whole situation, every time you close your eyes.

‘You just can’t get it out your head and it’s getting over that stage, being able to put it to bed, and at the minute, I don’t think I’m there.

‘We’ve had support from the Trust, we’ve got things in place to deal with what happened. There’s not enough thank you’s in the world for everybody for the well wishes.’

Michael, who was discharged from hospital on the same day of the attack after suffering a back injury, said he was still in shock.

He said: ‘Physically I’m recovering quite well, still very confused over the incident, not really sure how I’m supposed to feel, it’s still quite a shock.

‘We’re getting a lot of support from colleagues, friends and family and general members of the public we’ve never met sending us lots of good wishes. It’s been very difficult for my family and I’m sure it has for Deena’s.

‘We had quite an emotional meeting with the staff involved, with lots of tears, talking and questions.

‘Although we already knew how difficult it would be for them being clinicians ourselves, being friends as well must have made it doubly hard.’

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