ARGUMENTS about Monmouth's ambulance response times received a re-awaking at the weekend after an elderly woman apparently waited around two hours for the emergency service.

The 91-year-old woman fell just before 6pm on Saturday evening (17th March) in Goldwire Lane near the Green Dragon Inn.

She sustained a broken shoulder and cuts and bruising to her head and is still recovering in Nevill Hall hospital.

Reports from those present claim that it took around two hours for an ambulance to arrive, in which time members of the public had stopped to help, as well as a passing fire crew and district nurse.

Reverend Nick Munday, son of the woman in question said: "The response of passers-by in Monmouth was marvellous – particularly Paul, Jan and Kay who stayed with her and talked to her, and district nurse Karen Dawr, who happened to be driving past and used her equipment to monitor my mother until the ambulance arrived – nearly two hours later.

"When my mother's temperature fell, the nurse felt rightly that despite the risk she had to be moved inside to prevent hypothermia.

"The firemen manoeuvred her with exceptional skill. She received outstanding care from the ambulance crew and at Nevill Hall".

Many residents in Monmouth have been campaigning for improvements to the area's ambulance provision and for many this will be yet another example of the town's need for a more reliable service.

"I would like to thank all who played a part in caring for her, and those who prayed for her safety. But a system which allows an elderly person to lie in a pool of blood on the road and to wait so long for medical attention is unacceptable," said Revd Munday.

"I hope and pray that more resources will be made available so that other elderly and vulnerable people won't have to suffer as my mother did.

"The caring people of Monmouth and the dedicated hospital and emergency services staff deserve better support from the system and the public purse," he said.

Officials from the Welsh Ambulance Service were unable to comment at the time of going to print and are expected to respond in next week's Beacon.