The Welsh Ambulance Service has apologised to an Amman Valley pensioner after he was left waiting more than 11 hours for medical attention.

Alan Jones, of Lower Brynaman, fell down his stairs at around 5am on Monday, December 5, but paramedics failed to reach his property until 4.30pm.

Mr Jones’ wife had to telephone friend Ron Lewis for help with the 69-year-old while she waited for the ambulance.

Ron said: “When me and my wife received the call we went to see Alan and I had to help him because he landed face down and his arm was under his stomach.

“When he fell, he knocked the mirror off the wall and it smashed so all his legs are cut as well.”

Ron and Mrs Jones called the ambulance service on the hour for updates and were constantly told there was a back-log.

“A call handler said that there was a back-log and at around 3.10pm they eventually said an ambulance was dispatched, but it still took over one hour and ten minutes to arrive,” said Ron, 71.

“Overall it was over 11 hours.”

Mr Jones is currently still receiving treatment as an in-patient at Morriston Hospital.

Jeff Morris, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s operations manager for the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board area, said: “We are truly sorry to Mr Jones for the significant wait he experienced and for any distress this caused him and his family.

“This does not represent the high standard of service we want to provide for our patients.

“However, on this day there were significant pressures across the unscheduled care system, which meant we faced considerable delays in handing over patients at hospitals in the area.

“Regrettably this resulted in some patients, including Mr Jones, waiting longer than we would like for assistance.

“While he waited his condition was monitored by a clinician in our Clinical Contact Centre.

“Once again, we would like to sincerely apologise to Mr Jones, and will be contacting his family to discuss any concerns they might have together.

“In the meantime, we hope he is making a good recovery.”

In May it was reported that the Welsh Ambulance Service recorded its best performance since new targets came into force in October 2015.

The monthly figures showed better waiting times in A&E and for patients waiting for planned treatment, diagnostic tests and cancer treatment.

It is not unusual for NHS performance to improve in the spring with an easing of winter pressures, but Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said the figures released earlier this year showed a positive picture.