Man who saved life of Portsmouth fan, 70, after match given national award

Chris Scovell was on his way home after watching Pompey beat Sunderland on December 23 last year when the 70-year-old suffered a heart attack in Greetham Street.

Father-of-six Steve Sedgwick was visiting family in the same street when he stepped outside for a cigarette and Chris collapsed on the ground.

The 49-year-old said: ‘At first I thought it was a dog and then I realised it was a man.

‘I bent down to feel for a pulse and hear if he was breathing. He was ice cold and barely breathing.’

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Steve started CPR with the help of another woman who stopped her car and carried on for nearly 25 minutes until the ambulance arrived.

Chris, from the Isle of Wight, was taken straight to Queen Alexandra Hospital in a coma but has now recovered following triple bypass surgery.

His wife Lottie thanked Steve for saving her husband’s life.

She said: ‘We don’t have any children so without him I wouldn’t have anyone.

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‘I believe it wasn’t his time and they were sent to help. This is truly a miracle.’

Steve, originally from Gibraltar, has now been honoured by the British Heart Foundation and was named as a CPR Hero at an award ceremony in London.

He said: ‘When I found Christopher in the road, my instincts just kicked in and I knew I had to save him. I’m so glad that I was there at the right time and that my actions helped to save his life.

‘Being named a CPR Hero was one of the biggest honours of my life. I am so proud to receive this award and now want to inspire others to learn life-saving CPR skills.’

Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the BHF, said: ‘We are proud to give this award to Stephen. His life-saving actions make him a true hero.

‘It is also a powerful reminder of why CPR skills are so important.’