AN Ormiston Rivers pupil was struck by a piece of metal at Burnham Railway Station, turned away from a GP surgery when she sought medical attention and told she would have to wait six hours for an ambulance during a distressing ordeal.

Hermione Cole, 16, was hurt while waiting for a train on the railway platform, in Station Road, on Tuesday at 5pm after a 5kg piece of metal fell from the roof of the building and hit her on the head and shoulder.

There were no members of staff around to help Hermione and it was left to her two sixth form friends to work out what to do.

Fortunately, Hermione’s brother was able to return from work to pick her up from the station and take her to nearby William Fisher Medical Centre.

However, they were then turned away from the surgery and instead were told to call an ambulance.

After waiting three hours for the ambulance to turn up, they were then told there would be a six hour delay.

Eventually Hermione was taken to A&E by her brother and finally received medical attention at 1am, seven hours after she was injured.

Hermione’s dad, Howard, was left worried about his daughter and said there were “failures at every stage of this upsetting incident”.

He said: “She was very shaken and upset. She has shoulder damage, her arm is in a sling, and she is on strong painkillers.

“She was seated on the platform on one of the benches provided. The object just fell and hit her and knocked her off the bench, she was badly injured and the only help available to her was from two friends from her new sixth form. No railway staff at all.

“My son managed to get back from work to help her.

“He took her to the medical centre in Southminster, but they offered no assistance at all and they weren’t able to get any further than reception, which is disgraceful given the circumstances.

“After calling 111 at home she was promised an ambulance or paramedic would be on their way, and that was around 5.45pm.

“By 9pm no one had attended her, and one of her sisters called again for an update only to be told there would be a six hour delay.

“My son took her to A&E as she could not wait any longer. She was in pain and feeling very sick. I think she was eventually seen at around 1am.

“Some people have some serious questions to answer. I got straight onto Greater Anglia after the incident but have received nothing back other than a standard ‘dealing with your enquiries’.

“The station structures could still be unsafe, it is dreadful.

“There have been failures at every stage of this upsetting incident.”

The station is owned by Network Rail and leased to Greater Anglia which is responsible for maintenance and staffing.

Speaking about Hermione’s ordeal, a spokesman for Network Rail said:

“We lease the station to Greater Anglia and it is responsible for maintenance and also staffing.”

Greater Anglia apologised to Hermione for the incident.

A spokesman added:”The station was unmanned at the time of the incident, although we do have staff there at other times.We have checked the station and we’re arranging for our maintenance team to make urgent repairs.”

William Fisher Medical Service was unavailable for comment.

The East of England Ambulance Service said information it was given over the phone meant the incident was not deemed life threatening and the group were told there were no ambulance staff immediately available.

A spokesman added: “We received a call via NHS 111 at 6pm on September 11 to a report of a woman who was complaining of neck and shoulder pain.

“Based on the information provided over the phone, the incident was not deemed to be a life-threatening incident. 

“The woman was conscious and breathing with a swollen shoulder and the caller was advised there were no ambulance staff immediately available to attend. 

“A clinician from our control room called the woman at 6.50pm to provide further medical advice. We were called at 10.08pm to advise the woman made her own way to hospital.

“We would welcome the patient to contact us to would like to discuss the matter.”