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Tilbrook crash biker tells of county border confusion Ditch crash biker 'passed from pillar-to-post' by police
(about 1 hour later)
An injured motorcyclist stranded for hours in a ditch because three police forces could not decide which should attend said he called 999 several times as no-one arrived. An injured motorcyclist stranded for hours in a ditch because three police forces could not decide which should attend said he was passed from "pillar-to-post" between emergency services.
Richard Collins, 49, from Bedfordshire, broke his forearm in the accident near Tilbrook, Cambridgeshire, on Sunday. Richard Collins, 49, from Bedfordshire, broke his forearm after crashing near Tilbrook, Cambridgeshire, on Sunday.
The first 999 call was made at about 16:00 BST, but no emergency services arrived until 18:40 BST. Two 999 and two 101 calls were made between 16:00 BST and 18:15, but no-one arrived until 18:40.
He was eventually taken to Bedford Hospital in a Bedfordshire police car. He was eventually taken to Bedford Hospital in a Bedfordshire Police car.
The delay was caused by confusion between Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire police forces about which county the crash was in. "It was miscommunication, the left hand didn't seem to know what the right hand was doing," he said.
All three forces have referred themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) over the incident, the BBC has learnt. Mr Collins, a service engineer from Everton, near Sandy, was riding on the B645, near where the borders of Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire meet, when he crashed into a ditch to avoid oncoming traffic.
Mr Collins, from Everton near Sandy, said he made three calls after the initial 999 call was made. Timeline of emergency calls
Speaking to the Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2, he said: "I caught the crumbly road surface, went on to the wrong side of the road and to avoid the oncoming traffic I went into the ditch. Mr Collins said a member of the public made the first 999 call at 16:00 and left shortly afterwards.
"A member of the public made the emergency call as I was in shock. This was at 16:00 - he confirmed they were on their way in about 10 minutes, then he left," he said. But when no-one had arrived by 17:15 he called emergency services himself and was told an ambulance and police car were on their way.
"There was no sign of them after an hour, so I called them back. At 18:00, there was still no-one at the scene. He then made further calls at 18:10 and 18:15, before a police car arrived nearly half an hour later.
"I spoke to Northants Police and they had transferred it to Cambridgeshire Police. "It was very painful and uncomfortable as my forearm was bent at right-angles," he said.
"Cambridgeshire couldn't find the call listed and said it was Bedfordshire. Bedfordshire Police [then] arrived. "I was being passed from pillar-to-post. Apparently there's been an apology, but I haven't received it personally.
"An ambulance never arrived and they have no record of it being booked. A police officer personally drove me to the hospital. "All the police forces need to look at their emergency call procedures, especially when dealing with cases on their borders."
"I then had to wait an hour in A&E... it was about three hours after the incident that I was treated and seen." Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire forces have referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said investigations have since confirmed the incident did take place in Bedfordshire, but stated "it remains clear that a better response should have been given by all three forces".
East Midlands Ambulance Service said it was asked to attend the call, which was outside its patch, but due to the high level of emergencies and because Mr Collins' condition was deemed non-life threatening, it could not respond "as quickly as we would have liked".