AN AMATEUR footballer who broke his leg in two places had to be taken to hospital by car because no ambulances were available.

Richard Moffat was injured four minutes into an Upper Thames Valley League clash against Woodstock Wanderers on Sunday.

The New Club centre-half said he suffered “unbearable pain” after he had to wait in the cold for almost half an hour with no pain relief.

Teammates had been told by South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) that no ambulance could be sent to Tackley to treat him.

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Instead they were forced to take him the 10.5 miles to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington, Oxford, by car.

SCAS spokeswoman Catherine Morrow said the service was reviewing the call and could not comment further.

Abingdon resident Mr Moffat said: “The pain was unbearable.

“It was ridiculous. I cannot even sit up.

“When I was lying on the floor I heard the lads say they were not sending an ambulance.

“I just blacked out when it happened, I have never experienced pain like that in my life.

“The pain getting into the car was ridiculous, I had no pain relief.”

Mr Moffat’s manager Chris Kent said the ambulance operator told teammates to move the player inside despite his broken leg.

And Abingdon resident Mr Moffat said he was later told by a doctor at the John Radcliffe that he should not have been moved.

The 27-year-old father-of-two said: “I should not have been moved because if it had been a compound fracture my leg would have just gone floppy.

“I could have gone into a fit because of the shock.

“The John Radcliffe was great, I could not knock the staff, they saw me straight away.

“The doctor said I should not have been moved and there should have been an ambulance.”

The New Club manager Chris Kent, who has been at the club for two years, said the ambulance operator told teammates to move Mr Moffat into the changing room to keep him warm.

He said: “We could see Richard was screaming, he was in a lot of pain.

“The ambulance was called at 10.35am and the operator said they would not send an ambulance but to move him inside to keep him warm.

“She was warned that he had broken something but she said move him anyway.

“We wrapped him up in coats and he was just on the floor, freezing.

“We called the operator back and asked him to send an ambulance because Richard was in shock and the operator said ‘take him to hospital as soon as possible’.”

Mr Kent said when he spoke to an operator again 25 minutes after Mr Moffat broke his leg he was told an ambulance could be sent within 15 minutes.

But by that stage Mr Moffat had already been put in a car so he could be driven to the John Radcliffe.

Mr Kent said: “It was quite stressful, there were a lot of people not happy.

“To leave a bloke there with a broken leg, screaming with pain, is a joke.

“There were a few players who went with him to the hospital. They were just disgusted by what had gone on.”

Mr Moffat is currently recovering at home but may need an operation at a later date.

Referee Tim Siret called the game off after the incident and said the advice to move Mr Moffatt went against his 40 years of first aid experience.

He said: “I know you do not move anyone.

“We were told by the operator that no paramedic was available and then it may be ages before one could attend.

“This situation is not acceptable, this is just not right in 2015.

“It is just unbelievable.”

SCAS spokeswoman Catherine Morrow said: “South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust takes its responses to all our patients very seriously.”


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