‘ANGELS in disguise’ have been thanked for saving the life of a man who collapsed at brass band championships.

Joy Mooney said life would not have been worth living without her husband Andrew, who suffered a cardiac arrest after performing at the event.

His life was saved by Sylvia Thomas, Jane Gibbons and Geoff Dalton, members of Knutsford First Responders, who were at the event in Blackpool as event medics for J and S Kings.

They were called when Andrew, 56, became unwell, and as an ambulance was being called he suffered a cardiac arrest.

However within a minute of Sylvia and her colleagues using a defibrillator to administer a shock across Andrew’s heart and starting chest compressions Andrew regained consciousness.

He is now on the road to recovery, and his wife Joy sent a heartfelt letter to Sylvia, Jane and Geoff, from Knutsford, to thank them for saving Andrew’s life.

Joy, from Great Sankey, said in her letter: “Words cannot express how grateful I am to you.

“If I said I worshipped the ground my husband walks on it would be an understatement. He is my life and without him my world would end.

“We have been married for 38 years, so to be without him would be unthinkable.”

Sylvia, a founder member of Knutsford First Responders, said: “Andrew had just finished performing when he started to feel unwell.

“We were called, and he had all the symptoms of a heart attack. As we were dialling 999 he went into cardiac arrest in front of me.

“We administered a shock across his heart using a defibrillator, then started chest compressions, and within a minute Andrew’s eyes opened and he asked – why am I on the floor Sylvia?

“You are heartbroken when it doesn’t work, and it’s the most wonderful feeling when someone comes back and we have given them a future.

“I was in tears when I read the letter from Joy – it’s beautiful.”

Andy is chairman and BBb bass player of Wingates Brass Band, and Joy is band treasurer/administrator.

She was with Andrew at the Winter Gardens, where he was performing in The North West Regional/Area Brass Band Competition.

Joy added in her letter: “Andy is now on the road to recovery, and test results have shown minimal damage to his heart thanks to your intervention at such a critically important time.

“Andy will make a full recovery with limited medication to help his heart - all thanks to our trio of angels in disguise.

“Words can't express how truly grateful I am for what you did for the love of my life - but thank you for saving Andy’s life and mine.

“Without him my life would not be worth living, so you saved two lives that day.

“Andy is going to make a video - with the Blackpool Victoria Cardiac Team - stressing the importance of having a defibrillator at every public event in the hope they will save many more lives.”

Sylvia said what happened at Blackpool showed how important it was for the public to understand the techniques of how to treat a cardiac arrest to keep the person alive until the ambulance arrives.

She is encouraging people to attend free Heartstart evenings run by Knutsford First Responders, on the first Thursday of the month at Knutsford Methodist Church Hall, from 7pm to 9.30pm.

For more details about the group and Heartstart visit heartstartknutsford.co.uk/