Street signs review after 999 case

The crew had to ask local people for directions

An ambulance crew were forced to stop and ask for directions on their way to an emergency call.

The crew were on their way to a grandfather who died of a heart attack, and who had just days earlier complained about confusing street signs on his estate.

Fred Ewen, 70, who died at his home on Sunday, had highlighted the problem with Dundee City Council, telling bosses the signs could put people's lives at risk.

Just days later an ambulance crew had to ask for directions to Mr Ewen's home Linfield Street in Dundee.

The crew reached the street inside six minutes

Council officials have now agreed to examine the area's street signage to see what improvements could be made.

Mr Ewen had contacted Dundee City Council after his vandalised street sign was replaced with the sign Happyhillock Walk, which is linked to Linfield Street.

He said at the time that confusion over the street names and numbers could lead to a tragedy if an ambulance crew got lost.

The dead man's family said the sign was later replaced with another saying Linfield Street, but that there were no street numbers under the sign.

On Sunday morning, Mr Ewen's wife Jean, called for an ambulance after he became ill.

'Bizarre twist'

Mr Ewen's wife said: "He was never off the phone to the council to try to sort out the confusing street signs.

"He told me that one day there would be a tragedy if the emergency services couldn't find a house."

Mr Ewen's son, also called Fred, added: "It is just a bizarre twist of events that my father had warned the council about the confusing signs and then this happened.

"We don't blame the ambulance crew in any way - there was nothing they could have done for my father and we would like to thank them for their help."

Dundee Council has promised to look into the matter

But he added: "We hope the council will now do something about these signs in case there is another incident involving someone else."

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said the crew arrived at the scene within six minutes, well within their average response time.

He said: "The crew got to the street within six minutes, it was the street numbers which caused a bit of confusion."

He said it only took a short time for the ambulance crew to locate the house after asking locals for directions.

A Dundee City Council spokesman said: "Every effort will be made to clear up any confusion."