Getty
Despite living just TWO doors away from an ambulance station, mum-of-two Louise Lewis, 36, was kept waiting for 45 minutes when she collapsed at home with searing chest pains.
After dialling 999, Ms Lewis, from Llanelli, South Wales, was told an ambulance was on its way, but the operator could not tell her how long it would take. From her front window, Louise could see TWO ambulances parked in the depot.
Had she been able to walk, the ambulance station was just 100 yards away.
The terrified mum phoned 999 again after 45 minutes, and when no vehicle was forthcoming, she asked a friend to drive her to hospital where she was found to have suffered a massive heart attack.
Ms Lewis said she feels 'lucky to be alive' and that she 'could have died waiting for an ambulance to arrive'.
She told the Daily Mail: "It's ridiculous - I was looking out of my window and I could see two ambulances parked up at the station in my street. I was in a lot of pain and the operator could not tell us where the ambulance was coming from or when it would arrive."
Wales Ambulance Service are conducting an internal investigation.