AMBULANCE NO-SHOW FOR FIGHT VICTIM

The 20-year-old, who was covered in blood and drifting in and out of consciousness, was rushed to hospital in a police van after officers decided they could not wait any longer.

An investigation will now be held to discover what caused the breakdown in communication that led to the victim having to wait 30 minutes for the ambulance.

As well as his horrific facial injuries he was suffering from shock and vomiting caused by a broken bottle being smashed into his face, during a fight beside the Hastings Week bonfire on Carlisle Parade on Sunday.

Sixteen officers attended the scene there after receiving a call from a member of the public at 12.57am. An ambulance was called at 1.03am and again at 1.23am but it failed to arrive. Half an hour after the first call a woman police officer was heard to say "We can't wait" and the man was driven to hospital in a police vehicle.

Tory parliamentary candidate, Mark Coote, who was patrolling with the police that night, is now calling for an investigation to find out what happened. He said: "Thank God the man didn't die. He had a big gash to the top of his head and he was absolutely drenched in his blood. I have never seen anything like it. Obviously things didn't go as they should have and we need an explanation as to what went wrong?"

Mr Coote was doing the late shift with various officers when the call of a possible stabbing or bottling by the bonfire was received at 12.57am.

According to police, at about 12.30am a number of people were present at the main bonfire site when a fight occurred involving three people. It initially started on the beach, close to the bonfire, then moved onto the seafront promenade and was broken up when police arrived.

Mr Coote said: "When we arrived it was clear there had been some kind of confrontation and there was a man who had suffered quite a severe wound. His head, face and torso were covered in blood. The police administered first aid, called an ambulance and waited with him for the paramedics to arrive, but they had to take him to the Conquest Hospital themselves."

Sussex ambulance confirmed they received a call from the police at 1.03am and the crew was dispatched to the car park near the Chatsworth Hotel, just a short distance from the injured man. At 1.12am they phoned to say no one was at the scene and the crew was stood down.

At 1.23am a second call from the police asked the crew for their location and ETA and the ambulance was dispatched again arriving at the same location at 1.30am.

However, the police had already taken the victim to hospital where he was treated for his injuries and later discharged.

Janine Bell, from Sussex Ambulance Service, said: "It was definitely not a case of the ambulance not showing but clearly there was a misunderstanding at some point. We will be looking into it to find out where the breakdown in communication occurred."

Two men have been arrested in connection with the incident and released on bail.

Police are appealing for witnesses especially a number of people at the scene, to contact DC Richard Gill at Hastings CID on 0845 60 70 999, quoting serial 84 of 17/10/04.