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Parents of tragic Crieff toddler Martyn Gray focusing on fight to change ambulance breaks

Steve MacDougall, Courier, 6 Park Cottages, Drummond Castle, by Muthill. Family unhappy with Ambulance service after death of youngest son. Pictured, left is father Martin Gray,  and right is mother Lisa Gray holding a picture of deceased son Martyn Gray (correct spelling). PICTURE TO BE HELD FOR SATURDAY PAPER.
Steve MacDougall, Courier, 6 Park Cottages, Drummond Castle, by Muthill. Family unhappy with Ambulance service after death of youngest son. Pictured, left is father Martin Gray, and right is mother Lisa Gray holding a picture of deceased son Martyn Gray (correct spelling). PICTURE TO BE HELD FOR SATURDAY PAPER.

The parents of a Perthshire toddler who died while they waited for paramedics to arrive are focusing on change.

Lisa and Martin Gray had to wait 48 minutes for an ambulance to reach their home in April while they tried to revive three-year-old Martyn.

One ambulance was less than 10 minutes away but did not respond as staff were on a break.

Mr and Mrs Gray have raised the matter of their son’s death with health minister Nicola Sturgeon, and while they sympathise with Charlie Mathieson, of Tomintoul, whose sister Mandy died at her home in similar circumstances, they stress they are concentrating on their own efforts.

Mr Mathieson has been shown a transcript of the phone call made by Bobby Taylor, Miss Mathieson’s partner, to the village ambulance station when his sister took ill last October.

Miss Mathieson wasn’t breathing but ambulance technician Owen McLauchlan had said he was on his own and on his rest break.

An ambulance crew from Grantown-on-Spey, 21 minutes away, responded and an air ambulance was also sent from Inverness but Miss Mathieson died from a blood clot by the time the ambulance arrived.

Mr Mathieson, a fireman from Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, said that “technically and legally” Mr McLauchlan did nothing wrong but he still feels wronged by the handling of the incident.’Upsetting’The family were shown the transcripts by the procurator fiscal in Elgin.

Mr Mathieson said, “To say Mr McLauchlan wasn’t asked to go is just a play on words which is upsetting for us.

“If I had been in the same position I would have gone.”

Mr and Mrs Gray have said they knew it could take only 10 minutes for an ambulance to reach their home at Park Cottages, Drummond Castle, near Crieff.

On Thursday Mrs Gray told The Courier they are demanding a change to the situation over breaks for ambulance crews.

“I think it’s disgusting that Mr McLauchlan knew about the incident, to be truthful,” she said.

“I have spoken to Charlie Mathieson on three different occasions and this matter is following through after the death in Tomintoul.

“If the ambulance technician hadn’t been on his break this would never have happened.”

She added, “Mandy Mathieson’s case was different from ours but I know what Charlie was saying in that this ambulance man had such a great level of responsibility.

“We are fighting to get change and it looks like this is going through.”‘Attention needs to be drawn’Mrs Gray said, “We have raised the matter with Nicola Sturgeon and I’ve spoken with the press about our case, so it certainly seems to be working that way from a personal point of view.

“Charlie is in the public sector but we are focusing on our fight to get this changed.”

She added, “Ambulances have been up in Crieff before for several neighbours of ours, including ourselves, and have arrived quicker.

“The ambulance crew that were sent got lost and took 45 minutes to arrive.

“I feel attention needs to be drawn to this as it may help someone else’s child.”

Paramedics have defended the service, stating 45-minute unpaid breaks were imposed on them.

Mr Gray has said it was his understanding that crews can waive undisturbed breaks for a yearly payment of £250 and a small call-out payment.