Man, 80, passes out three times waiting 50 minutes for ambulance in Telford
An 80-year-old man who fell into a road in Telford passed out three times while waiting 50 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.
Three times an ambulance on route to treat him was diverted to "higher priority calls".
West Midlands Ambulance Service has now apologised for the delay in reaching the man.
Bypasser Richard Soame was driving down High Street, Madeley, on Sunday, when he looked in his rear view mirror and saw the man fall backwards into the road.
He said: "He fell about 7.50pm. He basically stumbled back into the road, I'm not sure how.
"He landed very heavily on his head, shoulder and hips. We thought he had broken his hip or pelvis because he couldn't support his own weight.
"We rang the ambulance straight away, in the end we rang four times between myself and the other people there.
"He told us he had a form of cancer and heart problems so we were ringing the ambulance saying he's actually passed out on three occasions and we don't know if that's from the pain or what.
"He was in pain but he tried not to let it show.
"A nurse pulled up who took control, which was good luck."
Mr Soame said the ambulance arrived 50 minutes later.
He said: "The ambulance came about 8.40pm. He had been lying on the cold wet grass.
"We were all astonished at the length of time it took for the ambulance to come.
"When the ambulance crew arrived they couldn't believe how long we'd been there. I don't know what happened."
Murray MacGregor, spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "West Midlands Ambulance Service would like to apologise to an elderly man for the length of time it took to get to him after he fell on a street in Telford.
"The trust was called at 7.49pm on Sunday evening to a location given as outside the Foresters Arms on the High Street in Madeley.
"Unfortunately, it took 50 minutes to get an ambulance to the man.
"We are grateful that an off-duty nurse and other members of the public were there to support him until we could arrive.
"On three occasions, ambulances were dispatched to the man, but each time they were diverted to higher priority calls such as an unconscious elderly woman and another woman who was actively fitting.
"Although it is very rare that such situations happen, leaving a patient in the street for that length of time is certainly not what we would want to happen.
"As a trust, we are in the process of getting in touch with the patient and his family to discuss the situation."
