A HEAVILY pregnant Poole woman claims an ambulance crew refused to take her to a nearby hospital after she was involved in a car crash.

Yolanda Humphrey, 30, from Canford Heath, feared she was going into early labour following the collision at Tatnam Crescent, Poole, on Wednesday, July 30.

Despite complaining of stomach pains, the mum-of-two says she was not examined by the paramedics but told she had "enough of a cushion" to protect the baby.

The crew then told her to get someone to take her to hospital and left to sit on a bench while her husband Simon drove from his work in Bournemouth to pick her up, she says.

He then took Yolanda, who is 33 weeks pregnant, to Poole Hospital where she was kept in overnight for observation.

She said: “My first concern was my five-year-old daughter Scarlett who was hysterical in the back of my friend’s car.

“I was in the passenger seat when we crashed.

“I think it was the seat-belt that caused the pains.

“Initially I felt fine but after a paramedic examined my friend I told him I was in pain.

“One of the ambulance men said I had enough of a cushion to protect me. I couldn’t believe his attitude.

“Then he told me to get my husband to take me to hospital, even though we were only a short distance away from Poole hospital.

“The police took my friend, her daughter and Scarlett home while I sat on the bench, waiting for help to arrive.

“It was really scary because I could feel the baby pushing and there was no one there to help. The two male paramedics were so heartless.”

Yolanda’s husband Simon, 38, said: “My wife was in pain and they refused to take her to hospital.

“I’m furious that they would leave a pregnant woman to fend for herself. It just beggars belief.”

The family has lodged a complaint with the Patient Experience Team.

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: “We aim to provide the most appropriate and best possible care to every one of our patients so take this matter very seriously and an investigation is underway.

“We will continue to maintain contact with Mrs Humphrey and her family so we can share our findings with them.”