A PENSIONER was brought back to life thanks to the help of a Good Samaritan after he suffered a heart attack while out walking.

Craig Robinson

A PENSIONER was brought back to life thanks to the help of a Good Samaritan after he suffered a heart attack while out walking.

The 76-year-old man was close to his home in Westleton, near Leiston, when he collapsed around midday yesterday.

A quick thinking member of the public administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and called the emergency services - providing life saving support until help arrived.

The pensioner was eventually airlifted to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston where last night his condition was described as critical.

Anaesthetist Jeremy Mauger, who is based at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, was the doctor on board East Anglian Air Ambulance, Anglia One.

He said: “ A by-stander gave effective CPR - it was a sterling effort. They then called for help and the first responder turned up, which just happened to be a retired consultant anaesthetist living in the next village.

“They gave life support using a defibrillator, closely followed by the arrival of the community paramedic. Between the two of them they were administering full life support when we arrived to assist and got his circulation going.

“The man suffered a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated and taken to hospital. Undoubtedly the early life support given by the by-stander and the use of the defibrillator helped to save the man's life.

“Its one of the more unusual jobs - most of the incidents we attend are related to road traffic collisions - but it's a shining example of how useful a helicopter can be.

“Initially it was thought the nearest land ambulance was 45 minutes away. We were able to transport the patient to hospital within eight minutes.”

The East Anglian Air Ambulance is a registered charity and has two helicopters - Anglia One which serves Suffolk and Norfolk and Anglia Two, which serves Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

A spokesman said: “In these trying financial times its reassuring when we can come in and do something to make such a difference in someone's life.”