Ambulance bosses have criticised the "reckless" behaviour of a man who drunk himself almost into unconsciousness in an isolated part of Essex.
They claim other lives could have been put in danger during the valuable hours it took the medical team to find and treat him.
A walker had called for emergency help at 2pm on Wednesday after seeing the man, apparently lying unconscious on a farm path near Elm Farm Sluice, by the River Crouch in Burnham.
A rapid response vehicle and the air ambulance were unable to find the casualty, so an Army Gazelle helicopter, which happened to be in the area, offered to help.
An ambulance and a coastguard officer in a 4x4 vehicle were also called.
It took crews more than an hour to locate the 45-year-old Althorne man, who was found lying next to two empty sherry bottles on the coastal path of Stokes Hall Farm.
He was taken to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, suffering from the effects of alcohol and exposure.
An ambulance service spokesman said: "This rescue operation tied up valuable resources for many hours when they could have been dealing with other serious incidents.
"It could have put other lives at risk. This sort of reckless attitude is simply not acceptable."
More in today's Evening Gazette
Published Friday, January 14, 2005
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