A war veteran who collapsed and stopped breathing during a Remembrance Day ceremony was saved by quick-thinking police officers and members of the public.
The elderly man keeled over just as the two minutes of silence started in Epsom High Street and was rescued by a WPC and her sergeant, an off-duty nurse and members of the public who were at the ceremony.
The off-duty nurse and a bystander provided CPR and administered shocks with a Public Access Defibrillator, (PAD), in the minutes before paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after 11am.
The veteran was taken to Epsom Hospital, where he is recovering in the coronary care unit.
Nigel Pollitt, a paramedic with the service, said: “I’d like to thank everyone at the scene for their swift actions which saved this patient’s life.
"The CPR provided before our arrival was excellent.
"This case shows the importance of learning life-saving skills and the role public access defibrillators can play in saving people’s lives.
"I wish the patient all the best in his recovery.”
A spokesman from South East Coast Ambulance Service said: “Their quick-thinking as well as support provided by police and a member of staff from the nearby Ashley Centre in fetching the defibrillator proved vital in saving the life of the patient.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here