Man 'dismissed during 999 call' died hours later

Joshua Adiefeh had just started his course at university

A 20-year-old student's family say his stomach pains were "dismissed" by emergency services after being told to take paracetamol hours before he died.

Joshua Adiefeh died at New Medlock House student accommodation on 28 September - just two weeks after beginning his studies at Manchester Metropolitan University.

His elder brother, Daniel Adiefeh, 21, said that during a phone call with ambulance workers, his brother was told they "wouldn't come because they didn't think it was serious".

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We will investigate and communicate with [the family] directly about our findings."

"In the moment I was confused - he was clearly in a bad state," Daniel added.

He described Joshua as a man "filled with empathy" who was "always willing to help others".

"He didn't have much himself, which is why he strived to be the best person, not just for himself, but for everyone he deemed himself to be close with," he added.

Joshua, originally from Bestwood in Nottingham, moved to Manchester to study accounting and finance.

He was with his twin brother Joel Adiefeh, when he first began to complain of stomach pains.

Joel phoned emergency services.

Daniel said: "Joel called the ambulance telling them to come and he told them the symptoms, which [included] short breaths.

'Unresponsive'

"When Joel tried to pick Josh up he started screaming in pain - he couldn't walk.

"And still the ambulance proceeded to say they wouldn't come because they didn't think it was serious.

"So then that's when they told him to go get the paracetamol."

When Daniel arrived he found his younger brother "unresponsive".

Daniel said it was at this point that emergency services arrived to the student accommodation - and Joshua was pronounced dead two hours later.

The Adiefeh family were later informed that Joshua had died as a result of an intestinal blockage.

Joshua Adiefeh's brothers described him as "one of the fittest and healthiest people"

In an online tribute to their brother, Daniel and Joel describe him as "a man of faith", and "one of the fittest and healthiest people" they knew.

"It's very difficult being without him right now, because growing up it was always us three together - we did everything together, from playing football, from going to the park, from going to the library to study - literally anything we did, we did together," Daniel said.

"So in these last couple weeks, it's been abnormal."

He added: "Sometimes it's even hard to believe that you're not going to see him again."

In the months leading up to Joshua's death he had suffered from bouts of sickness, but he "never really saw this as anything too serious", according to Daniel.

"He'd had spells prior before going to uni where, let's say he's at work and he'd vomit," Daniel said.

"He never really saw it as anything too serious, so he'd literally carry on at work even though he'd vomit.

"He'd go on a diet to improve his body shape, which consisted of him literally eating once a day - and after he'd eaten, he'd just vomit.

"He thought the sickness was just a normal reaction to fasting and then eating heavily."

But Daniel said that these symptoms had stopped in the three weeks before Joshua left to go to university.

'Deeply saddened'

A Manchester Metropolitan University spokesperson said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm the death of our first year Accounting and Finance student Joshua Adiefeh.

"Our thoughts are with Joshua's family and friends at this difficult time."

"Professionally trained counselling staff are on hand to support anyone affected by this sad news," they added.

Unite Students said it was "deeply saddened" by Joshua's death, and it would work with the university to provide support to students.

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson added: "We want to offer our sincere condolences to Joshua's family at this very difficult time.

"We've invited them to contact our patient resolutions team with their concerns."