As much as 15 ambulances have been left queuing to drop off sufferers at a crisis-hit Ayrshire hospital at this time.
Well being chiefs have been pressured to situation an "unreserved apology" after the chaotic scenes at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock.
Mercy crews have been stacked up outdoors the hospital's A&E unit, with a hospital supply reporting 15 automobiles ready for entry at 3pm.
One hour later, Ayrshire Reside noticed 9 ambulances nonetheless on the scene.
Our supply stated: "The scenario is now getting harmful and certainly one thing must be finished ASAP."
Bosses at NHS Ayrshire & Arran have tonight admitted their service is creaking underneath "extraordinarily tough circumstances".
And final month, Nicola Sturgeon branded one other affected person's 84-hour await a mattress in the identical hospital as "clearly an unacceptable scenario".
Bosses at NHS Ayrshire & Arran tonight did not reply when questioned whether or not they had put a brief restriction on the variety of ambulances attending Crosshouse A&E per hour.
Joanne Edwards, the well being board's Director of Acute Providers, stated: "At instances, we expertise a excessive demand for our unscheduled care providers and our employees work exhausting to evaluate and deal with sufferers as shortly as potential.
"We're conscious that, sadly, generally sufferers have waited considerably longer than we would want and we unreservedly apologise for that.
"This isn't the care we goal to supply and our every day give attention to discharges helps the move of sufferers from our emergency departments.
"We want to thank sufferers for his or her assist and understanding as we proceed to work underneath extraordinarily tough circumstances.
"If all of us work collectively we will be certain that our Emergency Departments are there to take care of those that want them most."
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