Neighbours save Southend footballer's life (From Southend Standard)

Neighbours rush to aid of footballer at Bournes Green Park in Southend

5:00pm Monday 22nd October 2012 in News By Emma Thomas

TWO neighbours saved a footballers’ life after he suffered a heart attack while playing a match.

Ros Price and Mark Higgins were at their homes in Newington Avenue, Southend, when Ros’s daughter knocked to say a man was having a fit at nearby Bournes Green Park.

Ros ran over to find a 36-year-old man collapsed on the pitch. His heart had stopped beating and he wasn’t breathing.

Mum-of-four Ros, 48, who is first-aid trained through her work as a scout leader, carried out CPR - and it worked.

She said: “I went straight over and he was laying on the ground. I started CPR and after five minutes my neighbour Mark took over.

“The paramedic arrived and shocked him but he still didn’t come round. They gave him some adrenaline and another shock - by this time he started breathing again. They put him on a stretcher and ran to the ambulance.

“It did hit me afterwards.

“I came back home, had a cup of tea and I did cry. People were saying ‘your a hero’ but I don’t feel like that.”

Ros said she was glad of her training at the 2nd Southend Scouts.

She added: “First aid is part of being a Beaver Scout leader. I am so grateful I have done it.”

The man had been playing in a match between Bluehouse FC and Chemico at Bournes Green Park when he collapsed at about 12.40pm on Sunday, October 20.

Mark, 50, said at first he thought the man had a minor injury from playing football.

He said: “My daughter came over saying there is a man on the floor. I could see Ros was over there.

“I thought he had twisted an ankle or something.

“When I got there, Ros was doing CPR and I took over until the ambulance crews arrived.”

The man was taken to Southend Hospital and then later transferred to the specialist heart unit at Basildon Hospital.