Boulders blocked ambulance from reaching boy who had stroke

Family of a 13-year-old who had a stroke while cycling said his life has been changed forever after paramedics were blocked from helping him.

Cain was collapsed at Maerdy reservoir, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on 16 July.

His friends called 999, but ambulance crews struggled to reach him due to boulders blocking the road.

Welsh Water said it installed the boulders on an access route to the reservoir after the barrier had been "repeatedly vandalised".

It added that a sign with emergency contact details for 999 crews to call to use the road had also been damaged.

Cain's aunt Shelley Caviell said she could not believe her nephew, who was always outdoors, fishing, playing rugby, cycling and building dens, had had a stroke.

"He's such an outdoorsy child... how is his life going to be impacted now by this, by not being able to walk and things? Hopefully the doctors will be able to help him.

"Cain's life has been dramatically altered forever because the ambulance couldn't drive to him.

Cain, from Ferndale, was out with his friends when he started calling for help from his 15-year-old brother Cullun before fainting.

After being unable to get phone signal at the reservoir, one of his friends ran to the village to ring 999, while his other friends, brother and cousin put him in the recovery position.

"We were so lucky that his friends acted quickly," said Ms Caviell.

She said that when ambulances arrived, the gates were locked and boulders were blocking the way in, meaning Cain's dad Neil, who rushed to the reservoir, had to take the paramedics on the back of a quad bike.

Ms Caviell said Cain's parents, Gemma Caviell and Neil Griffiths, initially thought he had heat exhaustion and dehydration .

However, after being taken to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, doctors discovered he had suffered a stroke and had a blood clot on the brain.

Ms Caviell said doctors told her there was a "vital four-hour window" for treatment after Cain had the stroke, and she said this had been missed due to the delay.

Cain, a keen rugby and football fan, was placed in an induced coma and put on a ventilator and his parents played clips of messages of support from sports stars though headphones.

Dozens of stars, including Gareth Bale and Shane Williams, sent video messages to the family, and the family now hope to show him the full messages.

Cain, who is being treated at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, is now awake, off the ventilator and has managed to go outside in his wheelchair, but has lost movement in the right side of his body and is unable to speak.

Ms Caviell said, while the outlook was positive and there was hope that with intense rehabilitation he would regain some movement and his speech, there was a long road ahead.

"It's heart-breaking. We really hope he will be able to get back to being able to walk, but he may never get his leg moving again."

Doctors are now trying to find out why Cain had a stroke.

Cain's family fear someone will die unless Welsh Water removes the boulders.

Welsh Water said the boulders had been installed on one of the access routes after "repeated vandalism" to original barrier.

"We did also put signage in place where the boulders are located with a telephone number to call should emergency access be required but this has also been vandalised," a spokesman said.

"We are in the process of replacing the sign and will also be liaising with all of the emergency services to advise them of the contact number should they need emergency access in future."

Ms Caviell added: "It's a massive open pool of water, if someone was drowning, they would not live."