Life-saver hailed as hero

A Newark man hailed as a hero for helping to save the life of a man whose heart stopped says more people should learn first-aid.

Mr Andrew Mallyon-Price, 42, of Sutton Avenue, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for about 30 minutes on the 76-year-old who collapsed at a waste recycling centre in Derbyshire.

“I was helping him unload his car, having a laugh and a joke, when suddenly he just collapsed,” said Mr Mallyon-Price, manager of Northwood Household Waste Recycling Centre, Darley Dale.

“I have had two strokes myself so helping someone else was a little surreal.”

Mr Mallyon-Price said he caught Mr John Mayfield, of Bakewell, as he fell and put him in the recovery position.

He was joined shortly afterwards by a passing nurse and two of his colleagues, Mr John Kobayashi and Mr Chris Bills, who helped him perform CPR while an ambulance was called.

Mr Mallyon-Price completed a first-aid course seven months ago through the Bujinkan Brian Dojo (Newark) where he is a Ninjutsu student.

He said more people should learn first-aid skills as you never knew when it could save a life.

He said it took a moment for his training to kick in, but everything he had learnt came flooding back.

“It was hard work but we didn’t give up, despite the fact the nurse said she couldn’t find a pulse,” he said.

“The gentleman’s wife came in the next day and said he had been sat up that night eating his dinner.”

Mrs Lorraine Mayfield said: “I can’t praise them highly enough. Their efforts were heroic.

“They didn’t give up.

“When the ambulance arrived, they used a defibrillator and John miraculously started to breathe again.

“It was a miracle. John and I will visit the site and make our own gesture of gratitude.”

Wendy Rushby, from St John Ambulance in Derbyshire, said: ‘This is an amazing example of first-aid and teamwork in action to help save a life.

“For every minute that passes without defibrillation the chances of survival decrease by 14%.

“The fact that they continued CPR for such a long time would have given Mr Mayfield the very best chance of survival until the defibrillator arrived.

“They are all to be congratulated on their efforts in being the difference between a life lost and a life saved.”

Research by St John Ambulance shows that up to 140,000 people die each year in situations where first aid could have helped save them.

It also shows that fewer than one in five East Midlands residents (17%) know even basic first aid.

“At St John Ambulance we believe that no-one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it,” Wendy said.

“We teach employees first aid for their workplace, and we teach people first aid in the community.

“Our volunteers also provide first aid at events. First aid is simple to learn and you never know when you might need it.

“We would encourage as many people as possible to take the time to learn these life saving skills.”