A MAN has voiced his gratitude to the kind strangers who rushed to his aid when he suffered an epileptic fit on a bus.

Mark Merchant, 45, was travelling home to Vange from Basildon but, as the bus pulled into Clay Hill Road, in Vange, he suffered an epileptic fit and collapsed.

Although he was travelling on his own at the time, strangers rushed to his aid.

Mr Merchant said: “I have epilepsy and I ended up on the floor fitting. I don’t really know what happened but someone phoned for an ambulance and people tried to help me.

“The first I really knew of it I was in the back of the ambulance.

“The ambulance service did some tests and decided I didn’t need hospital treatment so a friend came and took me home where I just wanted to go to bed and sleep.”

Although Mr Merchant, from Vange, was a bit shaky and sleepy after the incident he has happily recovered now and hopes to thank the people who helped him on the bus.

He said: “I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped and the ambulance service for staying with me until my friend arrived to take me home. It’s really good to know there are still some good, decent people out there who actually do care about others.”

He has also offered some advice as to what to do if you come across someone having an epileptic fit. He said: “Just make sure the person is in no danger; like nothing to bang their head on.

"Talk gently to them and reassure them they are safe.

"But if it’s really bad or hasn’t happened before phone the ambulance service and stay with them until the ambulance arrives and give them as much info as possible.”

Do you know who helped Mr Merchant? Email charlotte.austen-hardy@nqe.com