IN response to the story about Christine Gayther and her husband Terry who found themselves embroiled in a situation, which seems to be the normal practice.

When one rings 999 in a genuine emergency, only to be asked to ring 111 ,which, when you do you get through are asked to answer a number of questions which could be asked once the ambulance has arrived and assessed the cause of the emergency.

My reason for taking an interest in the story is that a few years ago, a relative was involved in a similar situation and, like the Gaythers, they were asked a lot of questions and asked to ring 111.

In the meantime the relative was in the process of having a stroke.

Eventually he was taken to hospital where he spent a few weeks being very well looked after. After a few weeks at home being looked after by his wife and the district nurse, he was admitted back into hospital where he sadly passed away.

Questions were asked and even now are still being asked for some authority responsible to please try to remedy it, so that when a situation like the one that Mrs Gayther encountered hopefully can be avoided.

B P Gallagher Florence Avenue Bolton