News RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos


Injured player from Colden Common spends two hours in pain lying on pitch


A TEENAGE cricketer spent nearly two hours waiting in agony on the pitch for an ambulance crew after dislocating his knee.

Chris James was batting for Colden Common when he suffered the injury after twisting his knee.

A 999 call was made for an ambulance to attend the VT Sports Ground in Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Southampton, at 6.15pm.

Another emergency call was made half an hour later when no one had turned up.

An ambulance crew finally arrived at 8pm – one hour and 45 minutes after the original 999 call was made.

Priority During that time the 17-year-old’s team-mates helped to put ice on his knee to ease the pain as he lay as still as he could on the pitch and the match against VT was abandoned.

He said: “I was pretty fed up. I understand there are calls that have a higher priority but it still seemed like a long time to wait.”

The Eastleigh College student of Brue Close, Chandler’s Ford, was taken to Southampton General Hospital where his right leg was put into plaster.

His father Stuart said: “I understand that some calls are more urgent than others.

“But I think that it is totally unacceptable as a taxpayer for the NHS to leave a teenager lying in agony for this amount of time.”

The father-of three said that he wanted to thank the crew which eventually arrived but said he felt let down by a system that left his son waiting for so long.

He said: “The ambulance crew were a little surprised at the length of time he had been there and advised that given the time without treatment that they were unlikely to be able to pop his knee back in place and therefore took him to A&E.”

A South Central Ambulance spokesman said: “The call was categorised as a category C emergency – non-serious and non-life- threatening – which means we have a locally recognised target of one hour to be at the patient’s side.

“It is regrettable that we were not able to reach the patient as quickly as we would like on this occasion due to external pressures and other higher priority emergencies and we apologise for the delay.”

Comments(33)

ewell says...
9:21am Sat 11 Jul 09

Personally I think calling an ambulance for a dislocated knee is the height of stupidity. Was there no one first aid trained who could improvise a stretcher to get the poor chap into a car for transportation to hospital? All it takes is a bit of common sense!

hulla baloo says...
9:27am Sat 11 Jul 09

ewell wrote:
Personally I think calling an ambulance for a dislocated knee is the height of stupidity. Was there no one first aid trained who could improvise a stretcher to get the poor chap into a car for transportation to hospital? All it takes is a bit of common sense!
Agreed.
Hardly a life threatening injury.

Used the overstretched emergency services for serious incidents.

The Grey Mystery says...
9:36am Sat 11 Jul 09

why didnt they just stretcher him off and finish the game,lots of other important cases, for example, you cant expect ambulances to put LBW - leg before warsaw

chris james saints fan says...
9:41am Sat 11 Jul 09

hulla baloo wrote:
ewell wrote:
Personally I think calling an ambulance for a dislocated knee is the height of stupidity. Was there no one first aid trained who could improvise a stretcher to get the poor chap into a car for transportation to hospital? All it takes is a bit of common sense!
Agreed.
Hardly a life threatening injury.

Used the overstretched emergency services for serious incidents.
I don't care if it is not life threatening I wasn't going to to be moved unless I had some pain relief because the slightest movement i felt pain. And i think if you people you would have called for one to so all I have to say BE QUIET and get on with your life.

chris james saints fan says...
9:44am Sat 11 Jul 09

The Grey Mystery wrote:
why didnt they just stretcher him off and finish the game,lots of other important cases, for example, you cant expect ambulances to put LBW - leg before warsaw
The game was really important to finish.

chris james saints fan says...
9:46am Sat 11 Jul 09

The game wasn't really important to finish.

ewell says...
9:51am Sat 11 Jul 09

chris james saints fan wrote:
hulla baloo wrote:
ewell wrote: Personally I think calling an ambulance for a dislocated knee is the height of stupidity. Was there no one first aid trained who could improvise a stretcher to get the poor chap into a car for transportation to hospital? All it takes is a bit of common sense!
Agreed. Hardly a life threatening injury. Used the overstretched emergency services for serious incidents.
I don't care if it is not life threatening I wasn't going to to be moved unless I had some pain relief because the slightest movement i felt pain. And i think if you people you would have called for one to so all I have to say BE QUIET and get on with your life.
Chris if you do not like people commenting on your story then probably best not to put it in the paper. I sympathise for your pain but don’t expect an ambulance to respond quickly for a non life threatening injury. Either get yourself to hospital or wait. It is not rocket science mush! I hope you are back on your feet and playing cricket soon!

Red & White Never Blue says...
10:05am Sat 11 Jul 09

"BE QUIET and get on with your life" says Chris.I think he would have done a lot better by not bleating to the echo who I also think are wrong to even publish such a pathetic story which only outcome will be to undermine the emergency services who do a wonderful job. I knoow some of the other lads who were playing in the same game and they don't think Chris is a very good cricketer anyway and a bit of an attention seeker. That might explain everything!! Now shush shush Chris and let that terrible injury heal

Red & White Never Blue says...
10:05am Sat 11 Jul 09

"BE QUIET and get on with your life" says Chris.I think he would have done a lot better by not bleating to the echo who I also think are wrong to even publish such a pathetic story which only outcome will be to undermine the emergency services who do a wonderful job. I knoow some of the other lads who were playing in the same game and they don't think Chris is a very good cricketer anyway and a bit of an attention seeker. That might explain everything!! Now shush shush Chris and let that terrible injury heal

Bulley says...
10:08am Sat 11 Jul 09

Chris - ignore these tossers. They have probably never played any sport, and are sat next to their mummy's being spoon-fed breakfast as we speak. For those who have ever dislocated knees or any other knee injury, it isn't a question of rolling off the pitch and getting on with it - you can cause serious damage doing that. As to the point about not putting the story in the echo, if you don't want comments, I am sure Chris was the first to phone the echo and say "come and interview me " - come off it - as if he had a choice - knowing the echo, they would run a story of sorts in any case, regardless of the truth's. And I dont know him by the way, just get **** off with some of the cynics on this site. Good luck Chris - hope knee improving.

chris james saints fan says...
10:14am Sat 11 Jul 09

Red & White Never Blue wrote:
"BE QUIET and get on with your life" says Chris.I think he would have done a lot better by not bleating to the echo who I also think are wrong to even publish such a pathetic story which only outcome will be to undermine the emergency services who do a wonderful job. I knoow some of the other lads who were playing in the same game and they don't think Chris is a very good cricketer anyway and a bit of an attention seeker. That might explain everything!! Now shush shush Chris and let that terrible injury heal
shut up prat, i am better than you

Ken Hutchinson says...
10:17am Sat 11 Jul 09

Maybe if the 999 operators could have explained that as it wasn't a life threatening injury, an ambulance may take up to an hour.Then an informed decision could have been taken whether to wait or seek an alternative.If the injury looked serious, any first aider on the scene would have advised not to move him until an ambulance arrived.
However James,you shouldn't berate posters for expressing their opinions via this medium - you chose to publicise it.Also could you please assure your Father that sterling work is being undertaken elsewhere within the NHS with all of our tax £'s including his!

Red & White Never Blue says...
10:18am Sat 11 Jul 09

chris james saints fan wrote:
Red & White Never Blue wrote: "BE QUIET and get on with your life" says Chris.I think he would have done a lot better by not bleating to the echo who I also think are wrong to even publish such a pathetic story which only outcome will be to undermine the emergency services who do a wonderful job. I knoow some of the other lads who were playing in the same game and they don't think Chris is a very good cricketer anyway and a bit of an attention seeker. That might explain everything!! Now shush shush Chris and let that terrible injury heal
shut up prat, i am better than you
See what I mean. me me me me eh Chris

Ken Hutchinson says...
10:23am Sat 11 Jul 09

Bulley has obviously had a knee injury before.Sounds like he probably made a meal of it when it happened.Or maybe too many meals put undue pressure on those particular joints eh Bunter?

chris james saints fan says...
10:29am Sat 11 Jul 09

i am no longer going to paste comments coz it a waste of time i have better thing to do.

chris james saints fan says...
10:55am Sat 11 Jul 09

chris james saints fan wrote:
well i aint paying tax so i aint bothered and i under that it aint life threatening but still nearly 2 hours if rubbish because there's an ambulance holding about 5 minutes away and i care about my health and my family's and my mate's health but no one else's so
this is my last post i have come to retract this comment thank you. and i aint bothered what any of you say just to put the record Straight.

goard says...
11:06am Sat 11 Jul 09

This may not appear to other bloggers that perhaps the boy did not have a serious injury, yes, it is very painful, but it points to one thing 'cutbacks' of all medical related incidents. What a pity that injuries have to be graded now - how about that elderly lady collapsed with injuries in town and reported by the Echo - she waited hours for an ambulance. I don't blame the ambulance men, I don't blame NHS, I blame whoever created this brave new World for the NHS.

goard

hulla baloo says...
12:16pm Sat 11 Jul 09

chris james saints fan wrote:
hulla baloo wrote:
ewell wrote: Personally I think calling an ambulance for a dislocated knee is the height of stupidity. Was there no one first aid trained who could improvise a stretcher to get the poor chap into a car for transportation to hospital? All it takes is a bit of common sense!
Agreed. Hardly a life threatening injury. Used the overstretched emergency services for serious incidents.
I don't care if it is not life threatening I wasn't going to to be moved unless I had some pain relief because the slightest movement i felt pain. And i think if you people you would have called for one to so all I have to say BE QUIET and get on with your life.
Ah bless,a little bit of pain from a dislocated knee.
No comparison with those in war zones who get far worse than you, and still have to get moved.
Wimp.

Sentient says...
12:17pm Sat 11 Jul 09

I was going to comment about the unfair comments aimed at this young lad. Having dislocated my knee playing rugby I can concur with his comments about how painful it is.

However, having read his comments, I have to conclude that he is, in fact, a numpty.

After your last comments, I couldn't give a toss about your recovery, or lack of. By the sounds of it, your 'mates' aren't that fussed if you play again or not.

Try taking up rugby, you ****. That will knock some sense into you. Oh, and I popped my own knee back in and got a lift to A&E. Girl.

hulla baloo says...
12:19pm Sat 11 Jul 09

chris james saints fan wrote:
i am no longer going to paste comments coz it a waste of time i have better thing to do.
Better things to do.
Hmm. cant move very far at the moment, so will probably watch TV and read the Echo on line.

Rishi Vadgama says...
1:06pm Sat 11 Jul 09

i was at this game and chris was an absolute flap, i've dislocated my knee before playing ping pong and to do it during cricket,woah, you ****!

mel,soton says...
6:45pm Sat 11 Jul 09

OMG, i cant believe some of the heartless comments made. I would be interested to know how many of these people have actually dislocated their knees. Like Chris, i have, and i also had an ambulance take me to hospital. Its the worse pain i have ever experienced and i have had two children. Also to move him without medical advice could have been a bad decision and done more damage.

The Grey Mystery says...
7:29pm Sat 11 Jul 09

goard wrote:
This may not appear to other bloggers that perhaps the boy did not have a serious injury, yes, it is very painful, but it points to one thing 'cutbacks' of all medical related incidents. What a pity that injuries have to be graded now - how about that elderly lady collapsed with injuries in town and reported by the Echo - she waited hours for an ambulance. I don't blame the ambulance men, I don't blame NHS, I blame whoever created this brave new World for the NHS. goard
agree about the elderly lady she has paid into the system all her life and because of the immigration policy she has to wait behind people who have just entered the country,the nhs makes me sick

MeMeMe15 says...
8:48pm Sat 11 Jul 09

As someone who has dislocated their knee, i can say the pain is horendous. Its not as easy as just popping your knee back in to place and hobbling in to a car and getting to the hospital. There is so much damage that can be done. Thankfully i didnt have to wait long for an ambulance. Just think if it was you, you would be calling for an ambulance and wishing it got to you quickly.

Bulley says...
10:03pm Sat 11 Jul 09

Ken Hutchinson wrote:
Bulley has obviously had a knee injury before.Sounds like he probably made a meal of it when it happened.Or maybe too many meals put undue pressure on those particular joints eh Bunter?
Lost weight actually Ken Hutchinson - surprising that I dont know your alias - who are you - the only Ken Hutchinson I know, is a **** star from Oldham, so obviously not you with your little tiddler !!! - suppose you are sat there with a pot noodle, dreaming about what a good player I was, and continue to be - 16 goals last season being the proof **** !!!

Quite Frankly says...
11:44pm Sat 11 Jul 09

Cricket is a 'game' played exclusively by w*nkers, as proved by your comments.STFU.

Red & White Never Blue says...
7:52am Sun 12 Jul 09

Bulley wrote:
Ken Hutchinson wrote: Bulley has obviously had a knee injury before.Sounds like he probably made a meal of it when it happened.Or maybe too many meals put undue pressure on those particular joints eh Bunter?
Lost weight actually Ken Hutchinson - surprising that I dont know your alias - who are you - the only Ken Hutchinson I know, is a **** star from Oldham, so obviously not you with your little tiddler !!! - suppose you are sat there with a pot noodle, dreaming about what a good player I was, and continue to be - 16 goals last season being the proof **** !!!
Yeah right... was it the subbuteo league Bloater. Lose weight in your flicking finger did you! Gobby t*at

The Grey Mystery says...
9:28am Sun 12 Jul 09

chris james saints fan wrote:
Red & White Never Blue wrote: "BE QUIET and get on with your life" says Chris.I think he would have done a lot better by not bleating to the echo who I also think are wrong to even publish such a pathetic story which only outcome will be to undermine the emergency services who do a wonderful job. I knoow some of the other lads who were playing in the same game and they don't think Chris is a very good cricketer anyway and a bit of an attention seeker. That might explain everything!! Now shush shush Chris and let that terrible injury heal
shut up prat, i am better than you
at least chris is using his own name to reply,and yes,i have changed my name by deed poll,good luck chis ,use these tossers remarks to inspire you,then in the future when you are really famous you can have the last laugh,

Saints Mike says...
10:31am Sun 12 Jul 09

Reading these comment has been so funny.

Chris to read your own story is ok, but to comment on it is a tad egotistical.

People will say whatever they like, it called freedom of speech, chill out young man, take a painkiller, and stop whinging.

It could be worse, you could have had your blown off in Afghanistan and had to wait a couple of hour for a chopper.

Don't see many ex forces amputees on here bleating do you?

Sentient says...
2:48pm Sun 12 Jul 09

The Grey Mystery wrote:
chris james saints fan wrote:
Red & White Never Blue wrote: "BE QUIET and get on with your life" says Chris.I think he would have done a lot better by not bleating to the echo who I also think are wrong to even publish such a pathetic story which only outcome will be to undermine the emergency services who do a wonderful job. I knoow some of the other lads who were playing in the same game and they don't think Chris is a very good cricketer anyway and a bit of an attention seeker. That might explain everything!! Now shush shush Chris and let that terrible injury heal
shut up prat, i am better than you
at least chris is using his own name to reply,and yes,i have changed my name by deed poll,good luck chis ,use these tossers remarks to inspire you,then in the future when you are really famous you can have the last laugh,
Of course he's using his real name; the story is about him after all.

You are seriously lacking in gorm.

now in the north says...
8:26pm Sun 12 Jul 09

I moved to Lancashire in 2005. Up here the locals complain about the 2 hour waits at casualty and the 1year long waiting list for council accomodation! They never had it so good.
Last time I was at the general, I waited 9 hours and as I understand it, the waiting time for council housing is around 7 years!

Reality-man says...
9:21pm Sun 12 Jul 09

Bulley wrote:
Chris - ignore these tossers. They have probably never played any sport, and are sat next to their mummy's being spoon-fed breakfast as we speak. For those who have ever dislocated knees or any other knee injury, it isn't a question of rolling off the pitch and getting on with it - you can cause serious damage doing that. As to the point about not putting the story in the echo, if you don't want comments, I am sure Chris was the first to phone the echo and say "come and interview me " - come off it - as if he had a choice - knowing the echo, they would run a story of sorts in any case, regardless of the truth's. And I dont know him by the way, just get **** off with some of the cynics on this site. Good luck Chris - hope knee improving.
'ignore these tossers. They have probably never played any sport and are sat next to their mummy's being spoon-fed'???? Have you seen the picture?? I just stubbed my toe and am currently waiting for the daily echo photographer and an ambulance by the way.

Ken Hutchinson says...
12:03pm Mon 13 Jul 09

Bulley wrote:
Ken Hutchinson wrote: Bulley has obviously had a knee injury before.Sounds like he probably made a meal of it when it happened.Or maybe too many meals put undue pressure on those particular joints eh Bunter?
Lost weight actually Ken Hutchinson - surprising that I dont know your alias - who are you - the only Ken Hutchinson I know, is a **** star from Oldham, so obviously not you with your little tiddler !!! - suppose you are sat there with a pot noodle, dreaming about what a good player I was, and continue to be - 16 goals last season being the proof **** !!!
16 goals in the B division of the Southampton Veterans League!Ha ha ha ha ha....your goals tally nearly matches your chin tally Bulley.You were never any good before you started in the blue rinse league either!


PAINFUL ORDEAL: Chris James recovering at home with his mother. Echo picture by Matt Watson. Order no: 8849339 PAINFUL ORDEAL: Chris James recovering at home with his mother. Echo picture by Matt Watson. Order no: 8849339

Most popular






Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »

Local Businesses