Heroic Helen and Bethany are true life-savers

Doctor's surgery receptionists Helen Cooke and Bethany Siddle have been hailed as 'life-savers' after a man suddenly collapsed in a Chadderton pub on Wednesday (September 14).

The man was having a tea-time drink in the Sportsman pub on Denton Lane when he collapsed onto the floor, leaving regulars stunned and upset.

One of those regulars, former nurse Karen Melia, immediately urged the pub's bar manager Jordan to rush round to the nearby South Chadderton Health Centre on Eaves Lane (part of the Woodlands Medical Practice) to ask staff there if a defribillator was available.

While this was going on, Karen, the pub's bar team and other regulars attended to the patient, until Helen and Bethany arrived within minutes with a defribillator.

Helen, who has worked for the Woodlands Medical Practice for 19 years, told the Chronicle: "It all happened so quickly.

"It was just after 6pm and someone came running into the surgery reception asking how to use the defribillator, so Beth and I grabbed ours and ran to the pub with it.

"There was no-one around with any clinical training, but of course we have been trained to use defribrillators, so we just got to work really.

"The adrenaline was flowing and it was emotional when we arrived because the man's friends were heart-broken.

"The pub was cleared and then we administered CPR and gave him a couple of shocks until the air ambulance arrived - we just got on with it, doing our best to keep him alive.

"Four crews and an air ambulance then arrived at the scene and they took over, but we had just been happy to have down our bit.

"I think the adrenaline got us through the whole experience, and we're both so glad to have heard that the man seems to be okay and is recovering in hospital.

"We've had people calling us life-savers and the Practice bought us some beautiful flowers, but I'm not sure we're that heroic.

"We were just doing our duty and putting our training into action when that man needed it."

The Woodlands Medical Practice were clearly so proud of their two colleagues, who, it would appear, they would definitely describe as 'heroic'.

In a Facebook post, the Practice said: "We would just like to share with you how proud we are of these two ladies from our reception staff.

"They were requested by a member of the public to assist a gentleman who had collapsed nearby.

"They leapt in to action, having to use the defibrillator and administer CPR until the ambulance crew came.

"They then helped ambulance staff until the air ambulance arrived.

"We are happy to hear that the patient is stable and receiving treatment.

"We wish him a speedy recovery."

The man is recovering in the Manchester Royal Infirmary, from where the latest update on his condition last night (Thursday) described him as 'comfortable'.

This latest dramatic incident comes just weeks after amateur cricketer Fazli Fard returned to Saddleworth to thank his 'life-savers' Chelsea Nield and Lisa Dudley.

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