AN investigation has been launched after claims an ambulance took an hour and a half to reach a dying man - despite him living only a mile away from hospital.

The family of Martin Hale are demanding answers after the father of one suffered a heart attack at his Southampton home and despite their frantic calls, ambulance crews arrived 90 minutes later.

His family claim the wait may have cost the life-long Saints fan his life.

Martin, 47, a type one diabetic, collapsed at his home in Alder Road. His sister Leah Hale told the Daily Echo how she first called South Central Ambulance Service at around 7.50pm.

Leah said: “We believe if they’d have come sooner, Martin would still be with us. When they hear the word diabetic, they should come immediately, it’s just not good enough.”

Leah said: “The ambulance finally arrived at about 9.20pm. 

"We wanted to take him ourselves but we physically couldn’t move him. We put in another two calls within the hour and when the paramedics got here they told us that they’d only just received our call.

“It was too late, and Martin’s eleven-year-old daughter Bella now doesn’t have her father. 

“When we got to the hospital the doctors said his brain had been starved of oxygen and there wasn’t really anything they could do, but they kept him alive.”

Martin passed away in hospital after his father Julian, 68, and mother Rita, 70, were forced to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support. 

The couple lost Martin's brother Mark, 50, to cancer two years ago.

Rita, from Shirley, explained that Martin, a former shop owner, was diagnosed with diabetes when he was four-years-old and had been using insulin right up until he died.

South Central Ambulance Service have said that they are investigating the complaint made by the family following Martin’s admission to hospital on November 19, but could not comment further while the investigation was underway.

A statement from the service said: “This is now formally being investigated by the Trust’s Patient Experience Team who will be writing to Mr Hale’s family with the outcome of the investigation once it has been completed.”

Leah said: “We just feel let down, we know it would have saved his life.”

Councillor Don Thomas, who represents Coxford, said: “This family are going through hell due to this catastrophic delay. One must ask what sort of a society we are becoming with the consequence of years of cuts to our prised public services. How has it come to this?”

“We all recognise the ambulance service are in an impossible position needing to be properly funded, this is just so tragic and my thoughts are with the family.”

As a Southampton FC season ticket holder for more than 20 years, his family have asked all attending his funeral to wear bright colours and Saints' kit.

Rita said: “He said that at his funeral he wanted nice colours and Saints shirts, nothing too sad. He was such a lovely person and supported Southampton for as long as I can remember.

“His legs and feet started to deteriorate about 12 months ago but he tried his best to see the Saints. He began going to less and less away matches though. He did manage to go out to Inter Milan, he absolutely loved that. 

Martin’s family has asked that any donations be made to Diabetes UK ahead of his funeral on December13 at Southampton Crematorium.