A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy from Dunfermline had to be taken to A&E after getting a coat hanger stuck in his right eye.

The freak accident led little Finlay Ellis to panic and his frantic attempts to pull the metal end out led to him ripping his tear duct and eyelid.

To make matters worse, the ambulance service was "extremely busy" and couldn't say when they'd get there, mum Cheryl's car was off the road, dad was at work in Edinburgh and he said the minor injuries unit at Queen Margaret Hospital "doesn't see kids".

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Finlay's dad, Dunfermline North councillor Gavin Ellis, said: "It was Monday evening when he was up in his bedroom playing before bath time.

"He wanted his Pudsey onesie out of the wardrobe and as he pulled it came out with the coat hanger.

Dunfermline Press: Little Finlay Ellis, 4, got a coat hanger stuck in his eye after a freak accident. Little Finlay Ellis, 4, got a coat hanger stuck in his eye after a freak accident. (Image: Cllr Gavin Ellis)

"It got stuck in his eye. He was trying to pull it out and ripped his tear duct and eyelid, he was screaming and my wife had to prise it back out.

"When I think how many times I've pulled out a shirt in the morning and it's snagged the coat hanger. What are the odds of it getting stuck in your eye?"

Cheryl said: "I heard him screaming 'Mummy I need your help' and it was a very distressed cry.

"He was trying to pull the coat hanger out the wrong way. it was under his eyelid and he was making it worse.

"I was really worried he'd damaged his sight."

After calling 999 she was told there was a "very long wait" and they couldn't say when an ambulance could get there.

She added: "They got someone from a clinic to phone me, it was a Glasgow number, and did a video call to see Finlay.

"Straight away they said to go to A&E but my car was in the garage, Gavin was at work and I had a 10-month-old, Eric, to look after too.

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"Finlay was still doing that hiccupy crying, I think the trauma and the fright was worse than the pain at this point, but my heart was racing, especially after trying to take the coat hanger out and worrying about doing more damage."

Gavin had to finish his shift at Edinburgh Council early and drive home to Abbeyview, which took around 35 minutes, and then another 25 minutes to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

The Conservative councillor, who has campaigned for the return of A&E and other health services to Dunfermline, said: "We're five minutes away from the Queen Margaret but the minor injuries unit doesn't see kids and for a city our size we don't have an A&E."

After assessment at the Victoria Hospital they were told to bring Finlay back to Kirkcaldy the next day (Tuesday) for an operation.

After doing so and waiting for a "good couple of hours" they said they "couldn't see much because of the swelling" and to bring him back again the next day (Wednesday) at 8am.

Gavin said: "We did that and 10 minutes after I'd dropped them off Cheryl called and said they'd decided they weren't going to do an op and we could take him home.

"The plan now is to see how it goes and if he needs the tear duct repaired in future they will do it then."

Dunfermline Press:

He continued: "I'm in the lucky position I've got a vehicle and was actually off those two days so I could go back on the Tuesday and Wednesday.

"What if you're relying on public transport? Even apart from the financial side, if you're in the West Fife villages how many buses would you need, and what time would you need to start to get there for 8am?"

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Cheryl said: "Finlay's eye and his vision seem to be ok and he's back at nursery (Lynburn) as that's where he's happiest.

"His eye is swollen, he's got drops to put in but he doesn't like us going near it.

"He's got antibiotic cream too and could be left with a watery eye."

It's not their first brush with emergency either as on December 27 last year Gavin had to help his wife deliver their baby son at home.

Cheryl had been sent home from the Vic the day before, despite her misgivings as she was showing signs of labour, and when it became clear that Eric was on his way they were told the ambulance was coming from Glenrothes and wouldn't get there in time.

She said: "Unfortunately I've had a few experiences now where we've had to go to down the A92 to Kirkcaldy in an emergency when it would be so much easier and better to go to the hospital that's just up the road."