A DISTRAUGHT mother was left waiting with her dying baby for half an hour before an ambulance arrived to take the tot to hospital, an inquest heard.

One year old Lucy Kelly died at hospital after she was suddenly taken ill at her Alton home.

Mother Shereen Kelly (30) took her daughter to their local surgery in Alton when she appeared poorly.

GP Dr Philip Cunliffe told the hearing that Lucy was very ill and he quickly phoned for an ambulance.

Dr Cunliffe, of Alton Health Centre, said: "lt was quickly very obvious to medical eyes that she was poorly - she was sweaty and very pale.

"I arranged that they should take her very quickly to Basingstoke hospital.

"I feared it might be meningitis so I gave her a shot of penicilin but she reacted very little to that and a few seconds after she stopped breathing

"I started mouth-to-mouth and then inserted a tube to help her breathe.

"She started but unfortunately she then collapsed again and later died.

"The ambulance crew who came were very attentive and did all the right things but they were very delayed in coming.

"They were a good half an hour getting there through no fault of the crew. We have had a lot of problems like this in our area."

Lucy was pronounced dead after arriving at North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke on May 21.

A post mortem was unable to determine the exact cause of Lucy's death, which was given as sudden unexpected death in infancy.

North Hampshire Coroner Andrew Bradley recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.

After the hearing Lucy's father, Christopher Kelly (32) of Wooteys Way, thanked Dr Cunliffe for his efforts to save his daughter.

Mr Kelly, who installs children's playgrounds, said: "As a family we have nothing but praise for everyone involved that evening."

Outside the coroner's court Dr Cunliffe said: "It was very frustrating, knowing the only place for the baby was hospital but there was no ambulance.

"I don't think Lucy could necessarily have been saved but it would have given her every possible chance had the ambulance got there in 10 minutes rather than 30.

"Although there's an ambulance stationed in Alton it's not always there because it covers a wide area. This one had to come from Basingstoke.

"My colleagues and I have suffered a number of incidents with poor ambulance response times when it has been critical."