Lifestyle

Son beats ambulance to injured mum despite travelling 200 miles on bus and train

A man who travelled nearly 200 miles to reach his injured mum says he is “appalled” he arrived before an ambulance.

Mark Clements caught a bus, Tube and two trains from his home in London to Exmouth, Devon after his 77-year-old mother fell and broke her hip.

Relatives called 999 at 9am on Saturday but an ambulance did not turn up until 4pm, despite a station being just 10 minutes’ drive away.

Mr Clements said he was “appalled”.

He said: “My mother was lying in an awkward position on a cold conservatory floor and was unable to move.

“It was heartbreaking to see her go through this experience.”

He said when paramedics eventually arrived they were “equally appalled and astonished” at the delay.

Mr Clements’ mum had a hip operation on Sunday and is recovering in hospital.

South Western Ambulance Service apologised but said that it was “not able reach this patient sooner”.

It said there was considered to be “no immediate threat to life” and that she only needed transport to hospital.

WSTale.com