A PENSIONER left fighting for his life after a heart attack was saved by members of the community.

Retired builder John Vaughan popped into Yorkley Post Office when he suddenly had a heart attack and collapsed.

Villagers rushed to his side to help and kept him alive until the Midlands Air Ambulance arrived and flew him to hospital.

John, 80, woke up days later in hospital.

Now back at home enjoying life, he said: "I can only say thank you.

"I will always be in their debt. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here now."

Assistant manager of Yorkley Post Office and shop Venessa Burgum said: "A girl came in and said a gentleman had collapsed. I got on the phone, dialled 999 and ran outside.

"He was hanging on to the railings and we had to get him to lie down.

"He was going bluer and bluer, and the lady on the phone from the ambulance said we had to do CPR.

"I gave the phone to someone else, a woman called Sue Hodson, and she helped me. We took it in turns to do CPR.

"It was touch and go for a long time. The paramedic who arrived said if we hadn't helped John, he wouldn't be here now."

After Midlands Air Ambulance took John to hospital, Venessa and paramedic Ceri Smart went to John's wife Iris to share the news.

Venessa added: "I came back to the shop, walked through the front door and burst into tears with the shock of it.

"I'd been trained in first aid but that was ages ago and you don't ever think you're going to have to use it."

Sue, 62, a care worker for adult with learning disabilities, said she saw John lying in the road and went to help.

"When I first saw him he didn't look too good," she said.

"He was a funny colour and he wasn't breathing.

"When Ceri arrived Venessa and I took it in turns to do CPR. He was using the defibrillator, and he said we should take it in turns to do CPR."

John's wife Iris, 76, who used to go shopping with her husband but who stopped when she was diagnosed with cancer, said: "John didn't know anything for five days and was in hospital for three weeks. It's a miracle he's still here. I'm more than grateful for what they've done."

Emergency care practitioner Ceri Smart said: "When I arrived he was having CPR from members of the public. I started my treatment and by the time the air ambulance arrived he was breathing and his heart had started beating again.

"When we work together we can have a dramatic effect on survival rates."

John's story is being shown on A&E, on the Discovery Home and Health channel, at 9pm on Wednesday, May 19.