Equipment worth more than £215,000 was lost by an ambulance service between 2012 and 2014, figures show.

Thirty specialist laptops, defibrillators and a vomit bowl were among items repported lost by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

The data was released following a Freedom of Information request.

The trust said the problem of losing items was a "significant challenge".

Karl Edwards, a West Essex manager at the trust, which covers Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, said: "That's why we're putting a great deal of focus into making sure we put practices and measures in place to minimise this going forward."

He said equipment was sometimes left at scenes attended by ambulance crews because the situations they work in can be "dynamic" and "chaotic", and the focus was placed on giving patients the best possible care.

During the period in question, the trust lost ten defibrillators worth £90,000, 64 thermometers worth £72 each, 16 blood glucose monitors and a stretcher worth more than £8,000.

Thirty "Toughbook" laptops, worth £2,500 each, were also lost.

The items were all classified as "lost" rather than stolen. It is not clear if any of the items were ever found.