REGARDING the letter by Mr Bernard Pendrey of Ellwood.

I must say how very sorry I am about his wife having a nasty accident at home. Many people throughout the county have nasty falls every day.

The comment made about explaining where he lived to the control room staff, and them not knowing – I live about three miles from Ellwood and that area isn’t commonplace to me.

Did he not know the control staff were probably 30 miles away and he was talking to a person who probably hasn’t visited the area?

The first paramedic that responded made your wife comfortable and would have assessed her injuries – finding, by the sounds of it, her injuries not to be life-threatening.

You should be grateful to have a fast-response vehicle arrive so soon.

Now comes the interesting part.

When the ambulance arrived and the paramedic walked up your path, making comments about your garden, don’t you think this was trying to calm you down?

To which I must say: failed.

Then you go on about trying to put your wife onto a stretcher and them taking their time.

Maybe the paramedic had assessed your wife’s injuries and thought a steady approach would be the best outcome? By doing this, it would also not cause her any more stress.

The drive to Gloucester Hospital: The ambulance staff are highly trained at driving and maybe thought that the route you had suggested was too bumpy for your wife’s comfort? Maybe this was a good call by the ambulance staff?

The crew may have been brought into the area from another station to transport your wife.

Maybe the crew had just dropped off a critically-ill patient at hospital and were returning to the Forest for your wife.

Maybe they have a system to say which incident is the most critical. Who knows?

As for the blue lights. They probably looked at your wife (not through the X-ray glasses they wear) and thought a nice steady drive was the right outcome as to not cause any more stress or discomfort to her.

Remember ambulance crews are highly trained, but don’t carry X-ray machines in the back.

You made comments, which you did not publish, to the ambulance staff. Maybe an apology would be nice?

These people work under great stress saving numerous lives everyday.

If it wasn’t for the likes of these lovely people, your wife may still be lying on your path.

I, for one, applaud the ambulance staff for the thankless job they do and I personally feel a lot more people should have more gratitude for this great service.

I wish your wife a speedy recovery.

– Ambulance service supporter, Berry Hill.