SERIOUS concerns have been raised after an ambulance allegedly took an hour and 45 minutes to reach a Greenock man who had collapsed in the street.
An eyewitness claims that the emergency services took almost two hours to attend to John Quigley after the pensioner collapsed in Mallard Crescent.
The resident, who made the shocking claims at a recent meeting of Greenock South West Community Council, told members that the ambulance service was phoned twice  — before a crew eventually arrived one hour and 45 minutes later after travelling from Lochwinnoch.
John, 75, of Mallard Lane, pictured, says he had no idea about the apparent delay in the ambulance getting to him because he had blacked out in the street.
He said: “I don’t really know what happened — all I remember is waking up in hospital.
“I was out and then next thing I blacked out and collapsed.
“It is a shock to be told that it apparently took that length of time for the ambulance to arrive, but thankfully I was fine.”
A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “It was just lucky that John hadn’t suffered something really serious like a heart attack or I dread to think what could have happened.
“It has worried everyone living around here because that could have been anybody that night and we would have faced that wait.
“We have a hospital just a ten minute drive away. It’s shocking to think you can wait that length of time for an ambulance to get you there if you take seriously ill.”
Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan has taken up the case and is demanding answers from Pauline Howie, the chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service.
He said: “A member of my staff was made aware of this matter at a recent community council. 
“The following day, I sent a letter to the Scottish Ambulance Service asking for an explanation regarding the length of time this man had to wait. 
“While I am not willing to judge the service without having all the facts in front of me, this does appear on the face of it to be a long time to wait for an ambulance and I intend to find out why this happened.”
According to the eyewitness who spoke at the community council meeting, John suffered a seizure and a nurse, who was visiting the area, came to his aid before the ambulance eventually arrived on the scene.
The Tele put the allegations to the Scottish Ambulance Service but a spokeswoman said they could not comment on an individual case without the patient’s consent.