A father's life was saved by two hero off-duty police officers after he suffered a cardiac arrest at the wheel of his car.
John Walker, 69, was dragged unconscious from his vehicle and placed into the middle of a busy road where lifesaving CPR was performed by the strangers.
Armed police were called to block the street to allow a third "angel" - off-duty nurse Sarah Watson - to also administer the first aid until an ambulance arrived to dash John to hospital.
He spent several days in intensive care, where he experienced a further heart attack, but defied the odds to return home to panicked wife Jean, 68.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror today, John said: "The three of them performed CPR on me and they definitely saved my life. They are angels, definitely.
"I had blocked the road, I was on the middle of the road so I think there two armed police vehicles turned up, another police car, and a police van turned up within minutes really."
The retired social housing boss, who had been healthy for years prior to the ordeal, and Jean had just walked their dog along the seafront in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.
The couple, who've been married nearly 50 years, drove a short distance to their regular fish and chip shop, where John parked up and Jean went inside to grab dinner, when John suddenly fell ill.
Jean, a retired council worker, returned to the car to find John struggling in the parked vehicle. The father of one quickly stopped breathing.
She flagged down a man, who happened to be off-duty Detective Constable Paddy Little, of Northumbria Police, who was on a bicycle ride with his son.
Two other people dashed to help John; Police Constable Jonathan Buckster, of Durham Constabulary, and Sarah, a nurse at Sunderland Royal Hospital, who were both also off duty at the time.
"I am so grateful for their help," Jean said.
"They were giving him CPR, and put him on the road. I was told not to panic, but I did do.
"I got to the hospital and was put in a family room to say John had a cardiac arrest."
The father-of-one, who lives with Jean in Sunderland, had another cardiac arrest the same night - and doctors phone Jean to tell her the devastating news. She rushed back to Sunderland General Hospital to be at her husband's bedside, but the dad pulled through.
The couple have since thanked the three heroes for their actions, and attended a presentation evening last month, at which a senior officer praised DC Little and PC Buckster.
John, who is a retired housing manager, said: "I just feel very lucky that Paddy, Jonathan and Sarah were there to help me – and to all of the emergency services who arrived so quickly and were absolutely fantastic with me and Jean.
"We are so grateful for their amazing support and I can’t thank them enough for saving my life. Never will I forget them.
“When I first saw Paddy and Jonathan again for the first time in person since falling ill, I couldn’t speak at first – I was overwhelmed with emotion as the realisation hit me.
Jean said: "It was nice to meet them to show our appreciation. It's great they were recognised for the help they gave us on the day.
"I said 'thank you fore saving his life'... They never switch off, our public services, even when they're not on duty, they are always there to help us.
"Police in particular can get a bad reputation but it's not always fair - this should restore faith."
Speaking at the presentation, Superintendent Amanda Duminghan, who presented DC Little and PC Buckster with compliments, said: "The lengths that our officers and emergency services in the region will go to in order to help people never fails to impress me.
"I am so proud of the selflessness and dedication shown by Paddy, Jonathan and Sarah – as well as all of the blue-light colleagues who attended this incident.
"I have no doubt that their actions ultimately helped to save Mr Walker who thankfully had started breathing again when the ambulance arrived.
"Not only that, but police were also on hand to support his understandably worried wife, Jean, and make sure their dog was left in safe hands while they travelled to hospital.
"Officers often carry out extraordinary acts of service – both on and off duty – and it’s only right we recognise those efforts. Well done to everyone involved – and I am so pleased that John is on the mend since the incident."
Sarah, who has worked for Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust for the last two years, said: "I was just out for a walk. I saw the car had pulled over and a lady making a phone call. She looked distressed so I went to see what had happened.
"I was asked to help pull the man out of the car and then started CPR. We all kept going until the ambulance arrived
"The nurses caring for him at hospital let him ring me and his wife later bought me flowers and chocolates, which was lovely.
"I don’t think anyone else would have done anything different to what we did. It’s nice to know he’s now doing well."
