“I FEEL incredibly lucky”- A cyclist who collapsed has thanked the lifesavers who's actions mean he is here to spend Christmas with his family.

Ian Strong, 75, was cycling back from shopping on the wet and windy night of Dorchester Christmas Sparkle when he collapsed and had a cardiac arrest.

But he is alive and well to tell the tale and spend tomorrow with his family, thanks to the quick-thinking of

Special Inspector Calvin Harwood-Tickett and Special Constable Ben Turner.

Calvin was off-duty and had just been to Christmas Sparkle with his family when he saw Mr Strong fall from his bike.

Calvin said Mr Strong was breathing but unresponsive when he first went over to him but after around 30 seconds he came round and told him he had a heart condition.

Mr Strong wanted to sit up but then went unresponsive, so Calvin called his colleague Ben and started CPR straight away.

The pair worked on Mr Strong for around 10 minutes before officers from the advanced medically trained armed response unit and paramedics arrived. They used a defibrillator to shock Mr Strong and he was taken to Dorset County Hospital where he underwent treatment, including having a pace maker and an implanted defibrillator fitted.

Two weeks after he collapsed, Mr Strong was up and about and met with Calvin and Ben at the hospital to thank his rescuers.

Speaking to the pair he said: “I’m just glad you were there. I feel incredibly lucky.”

Calvin said: “It’s fantastic to see him looking so well. It’s really great.

“It was right place, right time and we are thankful we could do something and you’re here talking to us today.”

The officers thanked the armed response unit and their colleagues in the ambulance service for their help.

Mr Strong’s daughter Kirsty said they were very grateful to Calvin and Ben for saving her father’s life.

Kirsty said: “It’s an incredible story, because many people don’t survive. If it had happened five minutes later he would have been home and there would have been no-one there. They did save his life – it’s amazing.”

She added: “We are so lucky he’s still with us.

“I don’t know how you can ever thank anyone enough for saving your father’s life. We are just all so grateful. He’s got four grandchildren who adore him and who will have many happy family times together in the future- it’s all thanks to Calvin and Ben.

“It would have been a very different Christmas for us without him.”

She added that statistically there was only about a nine percent chance of survival from a sudden cardiac arrest like her father’s.

Kirsty thanked all the hospital staff in cardiology, A&E and Maud Ward for all their help, the ambulance crews and police. She said her father had received “fantastic care,” adding: “They have all been amazing and so kind.”

She said they were looking forward to a big family Christmas celebration together.

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