"having your kid screaming in agony while you wait for an ambulance would be an awful experience." I agree, but remember the child had already been seen at a minor injuries unit who could and I'm sure would have given pain relief. Also, the child was then taken home before the ambulance was called - as I said earlier, why not get the neighbour to drop them off at the hospital or as the MIU to call an ambulance there and then. It sounds a terrible thing to say, but leaving it that amount of time means its not longer an emergency, and therefore an abuse of the 999 system. Just a thought though - how many concrete bollards just collapse? Sounds a bit fishy to me.