THE death of a stroke patient who, it is claimed, waited more than 40 minutes for medical help before being sent to Barrow for treatment, has highlighted the need for better services at Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital, according to campaigners.

Anthony Impey, of NHS SOS - Save Our Services, said the death of Barbara Hodgkinson, 62, illustrated why the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust should be investing in, rather than cutting, services in Kendal.

And even though Miss Hodgkinson's sister, Jennifer Hodgkinson, believes she would have died despite the delays, she interrupted her mourning this week to back Mr Impey, calling the trust's plans to close WGH to stroke and heart attack patients, "crazy".

The trust - which agreed controversial plans to close the four bed coronary care unit last year - has always defended claims that the extra travelling time for South Lakeland patients to get to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary or Barrow's Furness General Hospital, where they would instead be treated, would delay treatment and lead to more deaths.

Miss Hodgkinson, who was visually impaired but in good health, died in FGH four days after she was found unconscious outside the home she shared with her sister, at Carr Bank, near Arnside, at the end of January.

Neighbours battled to keep her warm, wrapping her in blankets, but claimed they were left waiting more than 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive from Ambleside.

Mr Impey said the time the ambulance had taken to reach Miss Hodgkinson - which has been disputed by the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which claims it was 23 minutes - also illustrated that taking patients to Lancaster or Barrow for medical help was likely to take more than the golden hour - the 60-minute period after a traumatic injury, such as a stroke, after which survival rates begin to drop.

For full story, see this week's Westmorland Gazette.