A RUGBY player who had to wait in agony for two hours for medical help after breaking his leg says he does not blame the ambulance service.
Beverley player Adam Robson, 23, suffered a triple break to his leg in the Tom Beautiman Cup final against Hull Dockers at Haworth Park in north Hull last Saturday.
The injury happened when Mr Robson fell awkwardly on his ankle after being tackled.
The ambulance service was called at 3.07pm but, despite being called back, it was 4.25pm before an ambulance responder arrived.
It is believed a backlog of ambulances queuing at Hull Royal Infirmary was part of the reason for the delay.
Mr Robson, who is now back at his Cottingham home following an operation on his leg last week, has accepted an apology from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
He said: "I think it is hard for the ambulance staff.
"It is not their fault when so many vehicles are queuing up at accident and emergency.
"I remember we had to wait a while.
"The service apologised to me and my family and we have accepted this.
"The problem is the strain on the NHS and the Government cuts."
Witnesses said Mr Robson was "turning blue" with hypothermia in the freezing conditions, despite efforts to keep him warm by covering him with bundles of coats.
He said: "I can't really remember how it all happened but I heard my leg snap and knew it was serious.
"I saw the foot was detached so I lay there and knew I couldn't move.
"It was horrible lying on the frozen ground. People were throwing blankets and coats on me but I couldn't get warm.
"I was trying to keep my leg still but I was shaking with the cold.
"But the worst thing was there was no pain relief. It felt like such a long time waiting."
Mr Robson, who has just completed a masters degree in criminology at Teesside University, is now recuperating at home.
He said: "I was due to have the operation on the Sunday but I had to wait until Monday.
"The operation went well and I got home on Tuesday. I won't be playing rugby for a while.
"I won't be able to put any weight on it for the first six weeks and I will remain in plaster.
"It will be at least three months before I can do any exercise but it might be longer before I can play rugby.
"I won't be playing again this season but I hope to get there to support the team.
"I have had a lot of support from my rugby team and my university, as well as many other people."
Once a paramedic arrived, Mr Robson was given morphine and carried by stretcher to the changing rooms, before eventually being loaded into an ambulance and taken to hospital at about 5.30pm, two-and-a-half hours after the injury.
The game was abandoned because of the injury.
The Dockers were winning 20-4 when Mr Robson was injured.
Service issues apologyAFTER Mr Robson was injured last week, a spokesman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: "We would like to apologise for any distress caused following this 999 call.
"Demand for our service continues to be extremely high and we would like to reassure members of the public that we are making every effort to reach patients as quickly and as safely as possible."
