7/7 medics say lack of gear led to deaths

Emergency medics also reported being hampered by problems with their radios, a shortage of pain relief, confusion about their roles, and delays in deploying them.

Firefighters clashed angrily with the first paramedic to arrive at Aldgate Tube station, where seven people were killed by bomber Shehzad Tanweer, after he refused to take seriously injured victims to hospital.

Andrew Cumner said he was "incident officer" and had to stay at the scene.

The fire crews responded with "hostility and panic", with one telling Mr Cumner, "give me the f****** keys and I will drive the f****** ambulance", the inquest for the 52 people who died in the attacks on London on July 7 2005 heard.

A list of complaints by paramedics included "communications very difficult to get through", "not enough pain relief in packs" and "five different people telling you five different things".

Tom Lynch, who in 2005 was in charge of London Ambulance Service's bicycle medics, highlighted the fact that motorcycle response units and cycle response units did not carry stretchers while paramedics based in Camden, north London, were left to watch the events on television.

The inquest also heard from a firefighter who defended his decision to delay entering a tunnel until he was sure the power was off. London Fire Brigade sub officer Michael Curnick insisted he had to be certain that his men were safe and he would not do anything differently today.