Ambulance investigation follows mother's coma.

A mother of two was left in a coma after paramedics allegedly refused to take her to hospital because they thought that she was drunk.

Claire Mozaffari, 33, had just returned to her home in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, from a night out in Newcastle when she suffered a stroke and collapsed.

Her sister called an ambulance but claimed that paramedics told the family that Ms Mozaffari needed to sober up and put her on the sofa before leaving.

Her condition did not improve overnight and she was taken to hospital after the family phoned the ambulance service again the following morning.

Ms Mozaffari underwent emergency surgery to remove part of her skull but slipped into a coma. Doctors have said it is unlikely that she will wake up.

Ms Mozaffari’s sister, Lorna Bell, said: “We were taken into a room and asked if Claire would really like to be in a vegetative state because that’s probably what she is going to be like.

“We want answers. Why did we have to wait nine-and-a-half hours for Claire to be taken to hospital?”

A spokesman for North East Ambulance Service said: “We are sorry to hear about Claire’s condition. We have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident and will ensure we keep Claire’s family informed.”