WHEN Julie McFadden walked into the pub for a drink with her sister, she had no idea she would end up being lauded as a lifesaver.

Julie, a Southend-based police community support officer, was at the bar of a very busy Ann Boleyn pub in Southend Road, Rochford, when there was a commotion in the restaurant section.

Julie pushed through the crowd to find Andrew Harvey giving CPR to his 78-year-old father-in-law, Kenneth Dore.

Recalling that day, in April 2012, she said: “No one else was doing anything to help. They were just watching.”

Julie was quick to act, breathing into Mr Dore’s mouth to give him vital oxygen. She said: “I looked at the man’s face and he was blue. His lips were blue and his eyes were static.

“I just started giving him breaths. There was a lot of commotion going on. I could hear it around me but I didn’t stop to think about it. I knew I just had to carry on, focusing on him.”

The pair worked on Mr Dore for 15 minutes, refusing to give up, even though a nurse told them he was already dead.

Julie said: “All of a sudden, I gave him a couple of rescue breaths and I looked in total amazement. He blinked and started coughing. Instantly, colour came to his face and I just said, ‘He’s alive!’”

Paramedics arrived and the pair continued to carry out CPR while the ambulance crews administered adrenaline.

Mr Dore was whisked off to Southend Hospital and then to a specialist unit, where it was discovered an artery had been completely blocked.

But for the chest compressions, the blockage would have remained, doctors said.

He was fitted with stents and a pacemaker and spent a month in hospital, but is now none the worse for the heart attack that nearly killed him.

Julie said: “It was the first time I had ever used CPR. It was total exhilaration.

“It was a great feeling to know a minute before, this guy was dead, but just by two people helping, he’d come back to life.

“It was an amazing and emotional feeling. Words can’t express how I felt – we had just joined the most elite club.”

Little did the PCSO know at the time, but the man working alongside her was also a police officer, Det Insp AndrewHarvey, also based at Southend police station.

In awe of Julie’s quick thinking and determination, Mr Harvey nominated her for a Chief Constable’s commendation – a move which eventually would result in both of them being commended by Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh.

MAN WHO NOMINATED HER GETS ONE, TOO 

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DET Insp Andrew Harvey said he was delighted when he heard Julie McFadden was to get a commendation – but slightly embarrassed he was also recognised.

He explained: “I could hardly have not helped my father-in-law, but Julie didn’t hesitate. She just got on with it, which is just her.

She’s the sort of person you’d want to have around.”

Recalling Mr Dore’s heart attack, he said: “Kenneth suffers MS and is in a wheelchair.

“He’d gone out with his friend for a meal to the pub, but during it he felt funny. We got a call from his friend, asking if we could collect him. We got there and when he arrived he was dead in his wheelchair and slumped on the table.

“A community nurse was standing over him saying ‘sorry, he’s gone’, but I thought I’d have a go, as I couldn’t make it any worse.

“I did CPR for five minutes on my own, then Julie walked in. She didn’t know me at the time. She just came over, said she would help and started breathing for him. She did it without any hesitation. I was amazed.

“We were trying and trying, and then suddenly we got a pulse.

“Only five per cent of people are ever brought back after CPR, so he is extremely fortunate. We are really grateful to Julie.

“For Kenneth, it’s like nothing happened. He doesn’t remember a thing. He was 78 and you’d think there would be no coming back from that, but the fact he is still here, aged 80, shows how important it is always to try.

“People shouldn’t feel frightened of having a go.

“It feels nice that Julie has been recognised for helping. She is very well thought of.

“As far as I am concerned, she just walked in to have a drink and instead, she came straight over. I had no choice, he’s my father-inlaw, but Julie came forward.

“She didn’t have to, but as police officers we’re the ones that usually do take a step forward, without waiting for someone else to get involved.”