Evesham man, 91, waited more than 24 hours for hospital admission

John Jennings called an ambulance on Thursday afternoon but it took until Friday evening for him to be handed over to hospital staff

A 91-year-old man had to wait more than 24 hours to be admitted to hospital after calling for an ambulance.

John Jennings, from Evesham in Worcestershire, rang for one on Thursday on the advice of NHS 111.

The ambulance arrived nearly 18 hours later on Friday and he then waited more than 10 hours in the back of it outside Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Both the ambulance service and hospital trust apologised and said the health service was facing huge demand.

The delays have been described as "horrific" by Mr Jennings' partner Lis, who said he had been in a "great deal of discomfort" from a bloated stomach.

"I just feel desperately sorry for him," she said. "He has got to the age of 91, he is hale and hearty and relatively healthy.

"Until this year he had never been to hospital and so his experience of hospital has just been awful."

Lis said she felt "desperately sorry" for her partner John

After being admitted, Ms Jennings said her partner spent a further 19 hours on a trolley before finally getting a bed.

He remains in hospital for treatment.

The ambulance service apologised for the delays which is said were because of "severe pressure" on the NHS.

It said June had been the worst month ever for waits outside hospitals and that it had to prioritise patients with the most serious conditions.

Three ambulances had been on the way to Mr Jennings but were diverted to more serious cases, a spokesperson added.

High demand

In May a boss said an increasing number of people were waiting in the back of ambulances for 24 hours before being admitted.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust also apologised and said the demand for their services remained very high.

"We expect to have an additional 29 hospital beds available in the coming weeks ahead of the opening of our new urgent and emergency care development at Worcestershire Royal Hospital," chief executive Matthew Hopkins said.

"This new development will be at the heart of our efforts to put patients first."