FAMILY of a 91-year-old man who had to wait nearly two hours for an ambulance after falling and breaking his hip are still seeking answers.

Good Samaritans who went to the aid of Ernest Clewer as he lay outside his Hillworth Village, Keighley, home rang the emergency service five times before an ambulance eventually arrived.

Each time they were told a crew was on its way.

A granddaughter of Mr Clewer has lodged a complaint with the ambulance service, but has still not received an explanation.

His wife, Elaine, 79, said this week: "We were given a complaints form for Ernest to complete but he is not well enough to fill it in.

"He's still in hospital and is very poorly.

"There are complications and we've been warned by doctors it will be a long job."

When an ambulance eventually did arrive to attend to retired engineer Mr Clewer, he was taken to Airedale Hospital where he underwent hip replacement surgery the following day.

The delay in responding to the incident has been criticised by union chiefs.

"Unfortunately cases like this are happening in every part of the region – it's a disgrace," said Terry Cunliffe, regional officer for Unite.

"Paramedics are being replaced on shifts by emergency care assistants who can't respond to such incidents.

"If we can't properly look after our elderly members of the public, heads should roll."

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust told the Keighley News that the call to Mr Clewer had been received during a period of very high demand.

It added it was doing all it could to respond as quickly as possible to patients in need of assistance.