A mother whose two-year-old son broke his arm in a public park, waited more than an hour for an ambulance.

Holly Spray from Wallington eventually got her partner to drive them to hospital, after her two-year-old son Alfie Fox fell off the edge of a sandpit in Cheam Park, Cheam.

A passerby phoned 999, but after half an hour there was still no sign of an ambulance or a rapid response vehicle.

Ms Spray, 28, said: "It was horrifying seeing my son screaming all that time. 

"I also had my one-year-old daughter and two of my older sons with me, who were either crying or in a state of panic.

"I phoned 999 four times within one hour and twenty five minutes, but they still didn’t arrive.

"I feel disgusted with the ambulance service, they might have had more urgent things to go to, but they should have at least sent a response car.

"When I arrived at hospital they said he needed morphine immediately and he should have got to hospital sooner."

Alfie’s father Paul left work to drive them to St Helier Hospital, where they were told their son had broken his arm in two.

Alfie stayed in hospital overnight for an operation, and was released the following day with his arm in a cast.  

A London Ambulance spokesman said: "We were called at 1.28pm on August 11 to Cheam Park, Sutton, to reports of a two-year-old boy who had fallen and injured his arm.

"Our call taker confirmed the patient was conscious and breathing. We were very busy at the time and sent an ambulance at 2.19pm, which arrived at 2.31pm. However, the patient had already been taken to hospital.

"We are sorry it took longer than we would have liked to send an ambulance and apologise for any distress caused, but we always prioritise our response to patients in a life threatening condition."

Alfie’s arm will remain in the cast for another four to five weeks.

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