A grandfather whose wife died after fireworks were thrown at an ambulance has spoken of how he cannot bring himself to blame anyone for her death.

The paramedic was trying to come to Winnie Jones's aid after she suffered a heart attack, but was delayed for 15 vital minutes.

Her grieving husband has refused to condemn the teenagers involved - saying only that he hoped they had learned their lesson. 

Fred Jones had never expected to outlive his wife Winnie. She was 20 years his junior. Now he visits her grave every day.

The 57-year-old collapsed at the family home in Penicuik. When the paramedic arrived he was hit by a firework - and had to wait in his ambulance until back-up arrived. Inside, Mrs Jones's daughter Angela was giving her CPR.

She told stv: "Because of the firework incident he was delayed for about ten-to-15 minutes before he could get in. All I do know is they managed to get her heart beating again, and they managed to get her breathing, but she'd been starved of oxygen for so long that she was brain dead."

Mrs Jones never regained consiousness and died three days later. Her husband does not condemn the teenagers involved.  He says no one can tell him for certain if their actions contributed to her death.

Mr Jones said: "Well, who knows? Maybe, maybe not. I don't think there will be anybody now who will be able to tell me, not for sure anyway. I wouldn't really like to say that because then I'm blaming somebody for her death. I don't want to do that. I hope they've learned their lesson that's all. And I hope it never happens again. It's done. It can't be undone. That's it."

Police are investigating but no arrests have been made so far. The ambulance service simply said the actions of the teenagers were "difficult to understand."

In 2008, there were around 250 attacks on Scottish Ambulance Service staff. The paramedics are instructed to wait for back-up if it happens.

They will never know for sure, but Winnie Jones's family will always wonder if that delay cost her her life.