The devestated family of a former Wigan RL player who died after the ambulance he was travelling in was blocked by yobs today spoke of their grief and outrage at his death.
Grandfather Norman Bell collapsed at the Council Avenue bowling green in Ashton last week, after suffering a massive heart attack.
Paramedics who came to his aid were verbally assaulted by three youths who barred the single track path adjacent to the bowling green with a motorcycle, delaying the ambulance by five minutes.
Mr Bell, who was 84, and from Newton-le-Willows, died later at Wigan Infirmary. Mr Bell played for Wigan Rugby League club in the 1940s, and remained a lifelong fan.
Speaking before his father's cremation at St Helen's Crematorium, Mr Bell's son Peter, 54, called the events of the night "disgraceful".
"We only found out what had happened when we read about it in the papers. We are still too upset to really understand what happened, but it's absolutely disgraceful.
"It's not clear whether those few minutes could have made any difference, but it makes you think, what is the world coming to? For boys to behave like this, with no respect for the health services, and someone else's life."
Peter, a primary school headteacher in Leeds, said: "It could have been their own grandfather in that ambulance. Would they have cared then?
"For paramedics to be threatened like this, during an emergency is unbelievable."
Mr Bell had lived in Newton all his life and was a reservist fire warden during the Second World War. He spent nearly 50 years as an engineering inspector at the Vicars biscuit machinery plant in Newton.
His wife Lilian died 16 years ago, but he had found happiness again with widow Irene Harris, 85. He had one grandson, Christopher, who is 23.
Mrs Harris said she was still coming to terms with her loss, and her anger toward the youths who blocked the ambulance: "It's absolutely terrible. Even if they didn't realise how ill he was, what were they thinking?"
"That few minutes could have been
the difference between life or death. We don't know, and maybe we never will. He was a lovely man.
"If he could see all this happening now he would just shake his head and think – what is the world coming to?"
Sitting among dozens of sympathy cards sent by friends and family, Peter Bell said he hoped the publicity about the circumstances of his father's death would shame the three young people involved.
"I can only hope that they read all about this, and that people who know them will be so ashamed they step forward to help the police with finding them.
"If this is stopped from happening again, then at least some good will come of it, and lives might be saved."
Greater Manchester Police said no-one had been arrested over the incident but inquiries were continuing. If anyone has any information, please contact GMP on 0161 872 5050 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
http://www.wigantoday.net/wigan-news?articleid=3066209
No comments:
Post a Comment