A man who suffered a brain haemorrhage on Southwold beach has praised the medics who helped save his life.

Mark Youles, from Garvestone in Norfolk, was on a camping trip in Suffolk with his wife, two children and friends this summer.

But on the morning of July 24, Mr Youles, a type one diabetic, was taken ill with an unusually severe hypoglycaemic episode.

An ambulance was called and the 46-year-old started to feel better after he was given a glucose drip.

The group then decided to go for a walk on Southwold seafront.

Shortly after reaching the beach, Mr Youles collapsed and became seriously unwell, suffering a number of seizures.

A RNLI lifeguard was first on scene and gave Mr Youles oxygen.

East Anglian Daily Times: A SARS vehicle at the scene of Mr Youles' collapse on Southwold beachfront in JulyA SARS vehicle at the scene of Mr Youles' collapse on Southwold beachfront in July (Image: Suffolk Accident Rescue Service)

A volunteer critical care team from Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS), working alongside paramedics then treated Mr Youles on the beach.

They stabilised his condition before requesting an East Anglian Air Ambulance to take him to James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth.

Mr Youles was diagnosed with a brain haemorrhage and taken into intensive care — later being transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for further tests.

The exact cause of the brain haemorrhage remains unknown, but doctors suspect it was linked to Mr Youles' diabetes.

Last week, Mr Youles, his wife Nicola, and their children Oscar and Isaac met with SARS volunteers and air ambulance crews to thank them for their efforts.

He said: "One of my main focal points now is to raise awareness that both EAAA and SARS are dependent upon donation-based funding.

"Prior to this incident I was naively unaware that such services weren’t directly funded by the NHS, with none us knowing if, or when any of us may ever, but hopefully never, actually need them.

"I would therefore simply like to take this opportunity to please convey this point to the public as well using my experience to demonstrate the very positive and real effects that can be achieved through coordinated, team efforts."

Volunteer doctor James Price, of SARS, added: "We were glad to be able to work together with our Coastguard, Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance colleagues to give Mark the very best chance of survival.

"It's a great illustration of the teamwork involved in the prehospital care of these critically ill patients and I am absolutely thrilled that there has been such a positive outcome."