AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after a woman was forced to wait 40 minutes for an ambulance at Selby Magistrates Court.

Ambulance service call-out procedures are being reviewed after the woman, from Tadcaster, complained of sharp pains to her head.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Ambulance Service today admitted its system was to blame for the delay.

The woman, a Mrs Bolton, sat with her head in her hands calling for a doctor after addressing the court on behalf of her 21-year-old daughter, Claire, who pleaded guilty to driving while more than twice the legal limit.

Court clerk Julian Cundiff suspended proceedings at 3pm and asked staff to call for an ambulance.

The court was cleared to give Mrs Bolton, of Bowbridge View, Tadcaster, some air, and then she went outside still complaining of sharp head pains.

Being comforted by her son and her tearful daughter, she was forced to wait until 3.40pm for the ambulance to arrive.

Dennis Lofthouse, duty solicitor at the court and a former charge nurse himself, told the Evening Press: "It is disgusting. This person could have died.

"I would have expected them to be here far quicker than this. I'm sure it is down to short cuts and under funding in the health service.

"Clearly a 999 call should have had a better response than 40 minutes."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Ambulance said an ambulance was sent from York, but it became clear there was one nearer in Goole.

Due to a system problem the information was not properly transferred, resulting in the delay.

"We are going through a period of significant change and we have already learnt from this ," he said. "We will be looking into ways of improving the system so it won't happen again."

While paramedics attended Mrs Bolton proceedings resumed and her daughter was banned from driving for two years and given 60 hours unpaid community service.

The court heard she crashed into a stationary vehicle and later gave a reading of 85mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath, nearly two-and-a -half time the legal limit. She was ordered to pay £55 court costs.

Mrs Bolton was taken to York District Hospital and later discharged.

A review of emergency procedures at Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, is being held between hospital and military staff after a communications problem during a helicopter crash last week.

When ambulances arrived with fourteen people hurt in the crash near Catterick, staff were not expecting them.

Steve Jameson, a senior manager at the hospital, said: "There was no problem with the action plan, but there are communications issues to be reviewed.

"It could have been a lot more serious, there was only one semi-serious injury but we need to be sure we are prepared."