Heart attack man dies yards from hospital

AN elderly man who suffered a heart attack just 500 yards from Monaghan Hospital died as ambulance staff were forced to rush him to Cavan Hospital 45 miles away.

Benny McCullagh, who became ill at his home at Rope Walk, Kilnacloy, at 1.11pm on Tuesday, had to be taken on a half-hour trip to Cavan because North Eastern Health Board guidelines meant he couldn’t be treated in Monaghan.

Having responded to an emergency call, two ambulances arrived within four minutes and managed to resuscitate Mr McCullagh.