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Man dies in hospital after collapsing in Preston Flag Market

Posted on - 1st March, 2018 - 9:07pm | Author - | Posted in - Preston City Centre, Preston News
The Flag Market in Preston Pic: Tony Worrall
The Flag Market in Preston Pic: Tony Worrall

A rough sleeper was taken to hospital after collapsing in Preston city centre

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Ambulance crews and Preston Police attended the incident in the Flag Market, near Turtle Bay restaurant on Cheapside.

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Passers-by and emergency services worked to try and help the man, in his 60s, after he collapsed – understood to be due to the cold weather – around 8.45am on Thursday (1 March).

A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service said the man had been taken to Royal Preston Hospital in a ‘serious condition’.

A police spokeswoman said: “We were called at 08:49 hours on Thursday 1st March to reports that a man had been taken ill on Cheapside in Preston.

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“The Ambulance Service attended, and the man, in his 60s, was taken to Royal Preston Hospital. Sadly, he was later pronounced dead. His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file has been passed to the coroner.”

Read more: How you can help those sleeping rough in the freezing Preston temperatures

An update from The Foxton Centre confirmed the man had later passed away.

A statement from the shelter for the homeless said: “We are sad to hear about the tragic death of one of our service users earlier today

“We don’t want to release any personal information relating to this man until he has been properly identified and the police have had chance to speak to his family and friends.

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“The man was brought to the centre on Tuesday by concerned local residents and came into our service, we completed a short assessment and he has been sleeping in our building on our emergency Winterwatch scheme since then.

“We were working with other local agencies to secure a long term solution to his needs.

“He left the Foxton at 8.00am today 1.3.2018 after having a shower and receiving a change of clothes, we understand he was taken ill about 15 minutes later in the city centre and died very shortly afterwards.

“This is a tragic event for all concerned and highlights the needs for continued work with the homeless and vulnerable in our community. There has been some very inaccurate reporting about these events which aren’t helpful and potentially very distressing to his family and friends.

“We will be pressing local agencies to look at this case in detail and see if there are lessons that we can learn from it.”

The incident came as temperatures fell to lows of minus four overnight and a warning of snow for Preston remains in force until Saturday (3 March) evening.

Anyone who sees someone sleeping rough should call The Foxton Centre on 01772555925

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