Football fan Herbie saved after heart stopped
EXCLUSIVE by MAGGIE GIBSON PARAMEDICS saved the life of an Elm pensioner after his heart stopped twice as he watched a New Year s Day football match. Herbie Cole, 86, is recovering after a medical team fought for 20 minutes at Ipswich s Portman Road groun
EXCLUSIVE by MAGGIE GIBSON
PARAMEDICS saved the life of an Elm pensioner after his heart stopped twice as he watched a New Year's Day football match.
Herbie Cole, 86, is recovering after a medical team fought for 20 minutes at Ipswich's Portman Road ground to re-start his heart.
Mr Cole of Oldfield Avenue, a season ticket holder at Ipswich, had travelled by train to watch the match against Birmingham. He was accompanied by his long-time friend and neighbour Ken Rogers.
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They had enjoyed a pub lunch before making their way to the ground.
Mr Rogers, 75, praised the medical team who saved his friend. "They did a marvellous job to get him breathing again," he said. "The first I knew was when he slumped against my shoulder. I felt guilty that I hadn't noticed anything wrong but I know if it had happened at home he wouldn't be here today because help was there within minutes."
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Jason Gillingham, clinical field operations manager at Ipswich ambulance station was on duty at Portman Road. He said: "The man suffered two cardiac arrests while he was at the ground, which meant his heart stopped twice. It took us 20 minutes to re-start his heart and stabilise him enough to then be able to get him on a stretcher to get him out of the stadium."
Paramedics worked alongside members of St John Ambulance and used defibrillators to get Mr Cole's heart going again while stewards put up blankets to prevent other members of the crowd seeing what was happening.
Mr Cole is being visited in Ipswich Hospital by other fans who sit near him in the Greene King stand.
The avid football fan played the game
