A handful of heroes have been praised after they saved the life of a man who suffered a cardiac arrest.

Michael Needham, 60, experienced the medical episode while he was at New Mills Leisure Centre last Thursday.

He was attending his weekly game of five-a-side with his friend Gary Mainwaring, 59, when he suddenly began to feel unwell. He realised something wasn’t right, so he went outside to get some fresh air before he decided to lie down in his van, which was parked in the leisure centre car park. 

Jack Cooke, who works for the leisure centre, had just finished his shift and noticed Michael lying down in the van, which aroused his concerns. By this time, Gary had put the game on hold and had gone outside to check on his friend, who he discovered was having a cardiac arrest. 

Quick-thinking Gary treated Michael by opening his airways and getting him out of the van. In the meantime, leisure centre staff - Andrew Lomas, Jack Cooke and Beth Hindle - also began working on Michael.

Andrew carried out CPR, while Beth used a defibrillator which administered two electric shocks which saved Michael’s life.

Off duty paramedic Sam Hibbert accompanied Michael in the ambulance, which arrived in under two minutes, where he was escorted to Wythenshawe Hospital, meeting immediately with a heart specialist. 

Michael, who said the attack wasn’t brought on by playing football, is now recovering from the incident, which left him with six broken ribs.

His daughter Chloe said: “Without the help of Jack, Gary, Andy, Beth and Sam, my dad would not have been alive to even leave the leisure centre in the ambulance.

“Gary also travelled with my dad and he has also told us how amazing Sam was in the ambulance as he took charge of all the admin work, reading oxygen levels and taking over certain tasks to enable the ambulance staff to work on my dad.

“My dad, once he’s home and well, will be going to visit these heroes himself. These people have saved a man who is the backbone to my family and there is no amount of thanks, money, gifts or anything we could give them that would ever be able to be enough to show them what they’ve done for us.

“These are just everyday people carrying out their day-to-day activities. The fact they got it so right, their bravery and their actions is what has kept our dad here with us today.” 

Lifesaver Gary Mainwarning

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