Great-grandfather who died of cardiac arrest after 80th birthday waited two ...

Great-grandfather who died of cardiac arrest after 80th birthday waited two ...
Great-grandfather who died of cardiac arrest after 80th birthday waited two ...

A great-grandfather died the day after his 80th birthday while waiting for an ambulance that should have come within 18 minutes but took two hours to arrive.

Sharon Day, 79, lost her husband Ian, after he experienced excruciating chest pains at their home in the quaint village of Sturry, near Canterbury, Kent.

The 999 call at just before 1am was classed as category 2, meaning the ambulance service aimed to reach him within 18 minutes.

But paramedics did not get to the address in Sturry, near Canterbury, until 2.55am, after Sharon had to call them back.

By the time he was attended to by experts, the family say Ian was in 'agony' and could barely breathe.

Sharon revealed the last thing her husband said was that he loved her - with that tragically being the last conversation they had as Ian passed away in the morning. 

The family insist Ian was robbed of any chance of survival because of the delay, claiming he would have pulled through if he was attended to sooner. 

Sharon Day, 79, (above) lost her husband Ian, after he experienced excruciating chest pains at their home in the village of Sturry, near Canterbury, Kent

Sharon Day, 79, (above) lost her husband Ian, after he experienced excruciating chest pains at their home in the village of Sturry, near Canterbury, Kent

Ian had his first heart attack in 2002, but recovered well and worked as a painter and decorator until he was 70.

At the end of last year, after experiencing chest pains, he was prescribed medication for angina.

At the time of his death, he had been awaiting an angiogram that would have determined whether he needed a stent fitted but his appointment letter did not come through until after his death.

On July 28, Ian celebrated his 80th birthday with a family dinner in Whitstable. But on arriving home, his pain worsened dramatically and he went to bed.

Sharon said: 'I went in to see him and he was sitting on the side of his bed clutching his chest. He was in agony.'

She called 999 at just before 1am and was told an ambulance would be sent.

But by about 1.40am there was still no sign of it and she frantically rang back. Eventually it arrived at around 3am.

Sharon said: 'By [the time the ambulance arrived], Ian was in really bad pain.

'He could hardly breathe. It was horrible.'

The family insist Ian was robbed of any chance of survival be.cause of the delay, claiming he would have pulled through if he was attended to sooner. Pictured: Ian celebrates his 80th birthday with family the day before he died

The family insist Ian was robbed of any chance of survival be.cause of the delay, claiming he would have pulled through if he was attended to sooner. Pictured: Ian celebrates his 80th birthday with family the day before he died

Ian was given oxygen and morphine and was taken to the QEQM hospital in Margate, and before the two had a chance to speak again he died at 7am of cardiac arrest.

Sharon said: 'I told

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