THE family of a man who died before an ambulance could reach him at his home in Trowbridge were appalled when another ambulance turned up the next morning - 18 hours too late.

Holding back tears, Audrey Tennant, 75, of Alderton Way, Trowbridge, apologised to the ambulance crew and told them that her husband Eric Tennant had died the day before after suffering a heart attack.

The embarrassing mistake is the latest in a series of problems that have hit the over-stretched ambulance service, which has its control centre in Devizes.

Mr Tennant, who was 77, and worked at Avon Tyres before he retired, was found unwell by his 47-year-old son Richard on Monday.

Mrs Tennant, a mother-of-three, said: "Richard went upstairs at about 4pm and found Eric slumped over by the side of his bed. He was still alive and we called the ambulance.

"It didn't arrive until 5.30pm and by that time Eric had gone. It was awful. He was a lovely man and had a wicked sense of humour.

"We called the undertaker and my two other sons came over to look after me.

"The next morning I was waiting for my care worker who helps me each day when I heard sirens outside. Another ambulance turned up at the door.

"I looked at them and said I'm sorry but my husband passed away yesterday, you're a day late.' It was very upsetting.

"They seemed very embarrassed and apologised. I don't blame them for what happened but I wish the Government would give the service more money because they are obviously under-funded and stretched past their limits. It's not fair on them and it's not fair on people like me and my husband."

Great Western Ambulance Service has launched an internal investigation into the incident.

Staff are so frustrated and angered by what happened that they have spoken out. They say they are at breaking point.

A worker said: "It's absolutely disgusting. I think it's another incident in the build-up to the eventual catastrophe that the Trust is causing by cutting back crews. Both the crew and the control room staff were upset and frustrated over it."

Mr Tennant's son Robert, 44, an electrician from Melksham, said: "It's not the fault of the ambulance crew and they need more support but it's disgusting that it happened at all. It's a grim enough time without having to deal with this. The NHS has gone to the wall."

A spokesman for the Great Western Ambulance Service said: "We deeply regret any additional distress caused to the family and friends of the gentleman concerned at this sad time.

"It is always our endeavour to deliver the very highest standards of service and care.

"On this occasion human error meant that we responded inappropriately. We will be writing directly to the family to convey our sincere apologies."

Last month an ambulance crew got lost in Trowbridge town centre and had to be directed to an incident by Wiltshire Times photographer Trevor Porter.