CONCERNS were raised this week over the cost of airlifting an injured Blackpool cricketer to hospital after an off-the-field incident.

Lancashire's air ambulance landed on Morecambe Cricket Club's pitch on Sunday (August 15) to ferry Blackpool player David Bartholomew to the Royal Lancashire Infirmary.

He had been allegedly struck in the face by Morecambe pace bowler Farouk Patel during a break in the match between the two sides.

But home club captain Phil Thornton feels scrambling the ambulance from its base in Blackpool at a cost of several hundred pounds was unnecessary.

"Calling it out was ridiculous," he said. "I offered to drive the lad to the hospital myself.

"It was clearly a huge waste of money."

Most of the money will be shouldered by the AA which sponsors the helicopter, but Thomas Daniels from Lancashire Ambulance headquarters is concerned that the ambulance was not being used for serious accidents as intended.

He said: "We only have three ambulances for Morecambe and Lancaster and if all of these are being used we have to send the air ambulance out instead.

"All our ambulances are supposed to be for a real emergency not for something trivial."

But Blackpool CC secretary Steven Kennedy said yesterday: "We called an ambulance and it was the ambulance service's decision to send the helicopter."

Sunday's incident left Bartholomew with a broken jaw which was being operated on yesterday (Wednesday August 18) at Royal Preston Hospital.

He is expected to stay in for a few days.

The rest of the vital semi-final was played out amicably, with Morecambe winning the match.

Patel was arrested at the ground but released on police bail without charge until August 31 pending further inquiries.

Members of Morecambe cricket club's committee discussed the matter on Tuesday night, considering whether to send a letter in support of Patel to the Vaux Northern Cricket League ahead of its special disciplinary meeting next Wednesday at Chorley.

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