A man who suffered a cardiac arrest at home has been reunited with some of the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) team who helped save his life.

Tony Drake of Holybourne visited the SCAS Alton Resource Centre on May 28 with his wife Elaine and daughter Hatty to thank some of the staff involved in his care during the incident on December 13 last year.

He was sitting in his living room with Elaine - and Hatty, who had popped in for a chat - when he suddenly stopped talking mid-sentence and collapsed.

Hatty called 999 and began chest compressions under the guidance of emergency call taker Kirsty Nolan.

As she talked Hatty through how to carry out effective CPR, she also asked whether there was a defibrillator nearby.

Elaine knew their neighbours had one and rushed to ask for help. Fifteen-year-old Jack Palmer answered the door, collected the defibrillator and returned with Elaine.

Jack took over CPR from exhausted Hatty until emergency crews arrived. His family’s defibrillator gave four shocks to Tony.

First responders on scene were a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service crew, followed closely by two SCAS ambulance crews and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance critical care car.

The team took over Tony’s care, restarted his heart and got him fully conscious, breathing and stabilised before rushing him to the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.

During their visit to the SCAS Alton Resource Centre, Tony and his family met Sarah Weldon, a paramedic who was part of the first ambulance crew on scene; Isobelle Prince, a paramedic from the second ambulance crew; and Imogen Cooper, an emergency despatcher who was part of the team co-ordinating the emergency response from the emergency operations control room at the SCAS base in Otterbourne.

Tony made a full recovery and extensive hospital investigations could not identify a medical cause for his cardiac arrest. He has since been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and a pacemaker.

Reflecting on the events of the day, Hatty wanted to pay particular tribute to emergency call taker Kirsty Nolan.

Hatty said: “She kept me calm, talked me through exactly what I needed to do and did an amazing job. It was as if she was there by my side, helping me help Dad.”

Elaine added: “We are so grateful to everyone who helped Tony. From the moment we dialled 999 through to his treatment in hospital and being discharged home, everyone was absolutely brilliant. We can’t thank them enough.”

Tony said: “I am truly grateful to everyone who played a part in saving my life. Without their quick actions and professionalism, I simply wouldn’t be here today.”

Following the reunion, Tony made a generous donation to the South Central Ambulance Charity as an additional way of thanking the service and staff who helped save his life.

The meeting highlighted the importance of early CPR, rapid access to a defibrillator and the co-ordinated response of emergency services, all of which gave Tony the best possible chance of survival.