Ten-hour ambulance wait after path leg break in Oswestry

Lynne Jones was in "such agony", her husband said

A woman lay on a concrete path for more than ten hours waiting for an ambulance after falling and breaking her leg.

An ambulance was called at about 17:15 BST on 12 August, for Lynne Jones, who lives near Oswestry in Shropshire, her husband Bryn said.

Mrs Jones was helped by a neighbour, a trainee paramedic, who stayed with her.

West Midlands Ambulance Service apologised and said pressures it was seeing in health and social care "lead to long hospital handover delays".

The service said an ambulance arrived on scene at 03.39 BST and the patient was conveyed to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

They added that a further six 999 calls were received between 19.13 BST and 03.37 BST.

Mr Jones said he was in his front garden when he heard "something that sounded like a scream," and then another scream.

He saw his wife "lying down face down on the floor on my daughter's path to her house".

Bryn Jones said his wife, who had an operation on Sunday, seemed much brighter on Thursday

Mr Jones stated: "It was a dreadful night to be honest waiting for an ambulance, especially with Lynne being on the floor in such agony, because we couldn't move her.

"We were trying to make her comfortable, but because she was on the concrete floor, it made it worse."

An ambulance service spokeswoman said it "relies on each part of the health and social care system working together".

She added: "Sadly, the pressures we are seeing in health and social care lead to long hospital handover delays with our crews left caring for patients that need admitting to hospital rather than responding to the next call.

"The result is that our crews are delayed reaching patients."

The spokeswoman said the service was "working incredibly hard" with its NHS and social care partners "to prevent these delays, looking at new ways to safely hand over patients quickly so that our crews can respond more rapidly and save more lives".

Daughter Charlotte Roberts was a "great help", her father said

Mr Jones said: "I do feel sorry for the ambulance people.

"Obviously there is not enough money in the system... you can't do anything about it."