A 10-YEAR-OLD boy hit by a car whilst cycling home from a park was left lying in the street for almost two-and-a-half hours waiting for an ambulance to take him to hospital.
Wentworth School pupil Bradley Wringe was hit by a car whilst cycling on the junction between Mill Road and Park Drive on Monday. A rapid response paramedic arrived soon after the collision, which happened just before 5pm, but he had to wait until 6.55pm for an ambulance to arrive. It had a faulty tail lift, meaning another 25-minute wait.
Bradley's father Will, 38, said: "I'm furious Bradley waited so long on the pavement. If it takes this long to get an ambulance to people then they need more.
"What if he had suffered a life-threatening injury or had spinal injuries? What if he was bleeding heavily and they turned up with a faulty tail lift? What then?"
Bradley had been trying to cross the road when he was struck by the car and thrown off his bike. Because of the cold weather he was transferred to the first ambulance to keep warm, whilst they waited for the second that arrived around 7.20pm.
"Two hours is a long time to wait in the street," said Mr Wringe at the scene.
"It's been pretty cold out here and me and my wife have been freezing so God knows how Bradley feels laying there. We have done our best to keep him warm but this is just not acceptable."
Mr and Mrs Wringe rushed to the scene from their home in nearby Fambridge Road after a call from Bradley's older brother Morgan, 14.
Mr Wringe added: "I was really impressed with the ambulance staff, they were really helpful, polite and friendly as was the policeman that attended the scene."
Bradley suffered cuts and bruises in the accident but required a neck brace and precautionary treatment because of an injury to his back.
The Nissan driver was not arrested, but police sat they are investigating the circumstances.
Mr Wringe added: "We are confident that it's nothing too serious and Bradley has mentioned that he wants to get back to school.
"He is gutted about his bike though. It looks like it is beyond repair and he's only had it a few weeks."
Bradley was discharged from Broomfield Hospital at 11pm on Monday night.
An East of England Ambulance service spokesman said: "A rapid response vehicle with a paramedic on board was on scene within five minutes of the emergency call. An ambulance was then dispatched as soon as one was available.
"Unfortunately, upon arrival at the incident, the tail lift was found to be broken. A second ambulance was then dispatched, and arrived 21 minutes later.
"All calls are prioritised on clinical need and given the most appropriate available response.
"We take delays seriously and apologise to those concerned."
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust was the first in the country to fail a Care Quality Commission assessment in March, with investigators citing response times as the main area for concern.
