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An elderly stroke patient died after ­an ambulance trust took 19 hours to reach them, an NHS whistleblower claims.

Insiders say the 91-year-old patient “didn’t stand a chance” – and the “shocking” case raises new fears over 999 ­response times.

It is among a series of deaths linked to long delays at the East of England ambulance trust.

Figures showed the trust had the worst response times of England’s ten ­ambulance regions in the most serious cases last month.

An external review, which looked at 22 ­incidents, was launched by the trust after a whistleblower claimed long delays had contributed to a number of patient deaths last winter.

(Image: Getty)

But it concluded last month nobody had died as “a direct consequence” of significant ambulance delays.

The stroke victim died in hospital four days after being left waiting 18 hours 44 minutes at the height of the winter flu crisis.

One trust insider said: “It’s outrageous. Having to wait 19 hours for an ­ambulance is ­shocking. They didn’t stand a chance.”

In another case, leaked to the Health Service Journal, an 88-year-old was left more than nine and a half hours with a ­fractured neck after a fall. The trust, which serves Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, East Anglia, Essex and Hertfordshire, has faced a series of rows.

The Sunday People has revealed how trust bosses were given luxury 4x4 Jaguars and Toyota Landcruisers.

(Image: PA)

MPs and unions accused the trust of taking taxpayers for a ride as the car leasing costs soared to £825,000 a year.

Official data for May shows the trust recorded the worst average response time for category one calls, at eight minutes 35 seconds. They are meant to arrive in seven minutes or under.

The frontline worker added: “That’s an average, so some wait longer. We should be getting better, not worse.”

Lib Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb said: “The delays are hugely concerning. But instead of patient safety, the trust seem more concerned about targeting anyone who leaks information.”

The trust said: “As we have now secured ­funding for additional resource for the next three years we look forward to continuing to work with ­partners to improve our service to patients.”