A WINDOW cleaner who died after falling 40 ft from a ladder had to wait an hour before he could be taken to hospital in an ambulance, an inquest heard.

One ambulance arrived after 40 minutes, but the crew did not have the equipment needed.

A second vehicle had to be called, causing a further 20-minute wait.

Carl Hibbert, of Tempest Street, Deane, fell from his ladder while cleaning the windows of a third-storey flat in Clegg Street, Whitefield, on August 7 last year.

The 28-year-old father landed face down and suffered a fractured skull, brain damage and internal bleeding. He died of his injuries at Salford's Hope Hospital on August 9.

A Bolton inquest into his death was halted yesterday and the jury was discharged when the coroner called for further inquiries after a pathologist revealed that there was a chance Mr Hibbert could have survived had he been treated earlier.

The inquest was told it was 40 minutes before an ambulance arrived at the scene, despite the Deborah Court flats where Mr Hibbert had been working being within 100 yards of an ambulance station.

The inquest heard from witnesses that when the ambulance did arrive, it was not equipped with a neck brace and a second vehicle had to be called.

It was an hour before Mr Hibbert was transferred from the scene to North Manchester General Hospital.

There he was referred to the neuro department at Salford's Hope Hospital, where he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot, but later died of his injuries.

A former Deane School pupil, Mr Hibbert had been a window cleaner for more than a year and had recently set up business on his own.

His parents, Anne Morrison and Kevan Hibbert, who are now taking care of the window cleaner's three-year-old son Luke, described Carl as a well-liked lad who would do anything for anyone.

Giving evidence at the inquest, Anne Morrison, aged 54, said: "He had a lot of friends and there were more than 1,000 people at Carl's funeral.

"But his life was Luke, he wanted to do so much for his son."

The inquest heard that Mr Hibbert had been attacked in his home just six weeks before his death and that his attacker has since been sentenced to 13 years in prison for the offence.

Mrs Morrison said: "It upset us all very much. Carl wasn't right after that attack, but he had just started getting himself back together and was talking about the future when this happened."

Painter and decorator Thomas Jenkinson was working at the flats when the accident happened and was the first to reach Mr Hibbert.

He said: "I heard a crash and went to see what had happened. Carl was lying on the ground with the ladders resting on the porchway to the flats."

"I imagine he had probably over-stretched, causing the ladders to slide sideways."

He said that a paramedic from the nearby ambulance station jumped over the fence to help, but that it was at least 40 minutes before an ambulance arrived and another 20 minute wait for the second ambulance with the necessary equipment.

Deborah Court resident Patrick Pope who was at the scene, contacted the emergency services and agreed with Mr Jenkinson's estimations on the time delay before an ambulance arrived.

Bolton coroner Jennifer Leeming said: "I am concerned about the time delay of the ambulance and feel it is my duty to investigate further. Therefore I have no alternative but to adjourn this inquest until I have obtained detailed reports from the ambulance service."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Ambulance Service said: "We are confused and perplexed at GMAS at what we are hearing. As far as we are concerned, an ambulance paramedic was on the scene within two minutes of it happening and our ambulances were there within half the time that is stated.

"We are waiting for details from the coroner before commenting further."

The jury at yesterday's inquest was discharged and Mr Hibbert's family and the other witnesses will have to return to Bolton Coroner's Court at a later date for a new jury inquest.