Off-duty fire officer Steve Daly helped give CPR to heart attack victim

A MAN having a heart attack in a street had his life saved by three passers-by.

Gemma and David Wardell helped save a man's life when he suffered a heart attack

Off-duty police officers David and Gemma Wardell were driving out of The Beacons in Great Ashby, where they live, when the life-threatening incident unfolded.

“A man was riding along Great Ashby Way on his Vespa scooter and he seemed to struggle to control it,” said Mr Wardell. “The next thing we knew he was on the floor.

“I took his helmet off and could see he was really struggling. His eyes were going back in his head and he was struggling to breathe. I couldn’t find a pulse so I started CPR.”

Meanwhile, Mrs Wardell dialled 999 and asked for an ambulance.

Off-duty fire officer Steve Daly was on his way home to Stevenage from a night shift in north London when he saw the incident.

He stopped his car and offered to help, taking over CPR.

Mr Daly, 38, said: “It was clear he was in a serious condition, but fortunately my training kicked in and I did all I could to help him.

“I’m sure I just did what any of my colleagues would have done in that situation.”

Mr Wardell added: “We kept on going. There were plenty of times I thought he was dead. I managed to get him back twice before the paramedics arrived.”

The victim, understood to be a 67-year-old, had his heart shocked with a defibrillator by paramedics before he was taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage, where he is understood to still be receiving treatment.

Mr Daly is set to receive a bravery award from the London Fire Brigade in recognition of his actions.