Wife thanks life-saving pair who gave CPR to husband found '˜ice cold' in Portsmouth street

Chris Scovell was on his way home after watching Pompey beat Sunderland on December 23 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.

The 48-year-old said: '˜I usually go out the back but for some reason I went out the front and thank God I did.

'˜A couple of young lads walked past me and said 'leave him he is drunk' and I thought 'I wonder what they are talking about' and then I saw this thing lying in the middle of the street.

'˜At first I thought it was a dog and then I realised it was a man.'

Steve, who is a Portsmouth City Council traffic warden, ran over to help the man '“ who turned out to be Chris '“ who had been lying in the street for over an half an hour.

Steve said: '˜I bent down to feel for a pulse and hear if he was breathing. He was ice cold and barely breathing.

'˜Another woman called Chrissie Payne stopped her car and came over to help and then I started CPR straight away and that was for about 20 minutes until the ambulance arrived. It was really hard to keep going and extremely nerve-wracking but I knew I had to.'

Thanks to a first aid course seven years ago, Steve knew what he had to do in the distressing situation.

He added: '˜It all just kicked in and I am so glad it did. There were lots of people who walked past and thought he was drunk or just took pictures because they thought it was funny but he was just a man who needed help.'

Chris, from the Isle of Wight, was taken straight to Queen Alexandra hospital in a coma but he is now recovering and will have a bypass operation later this week.

Wife Lottie described her concern when her husband didn't return her calls that evening.

She said: '˜He always goes to the Pompey games with his friends and then they go to lunch then watch the game and then he gets the ferry home but this time I hadn't heard from him by 7pm.

'˜So I phoned and didn't get an answer and then a couple more times and I was starting to get worried and then the next time the police picked up and told me what had happened and that I needed to get to Queen Alexandra quickly. It was really worrying.'

Chris, who is still in hospital, told The News: '˜I can't remember anything from that day really. I can remember the game and then it all goes blank and the next thing I know I wake up four days later in hospital.

'˜It was really scary but thanks to Steve and Chrissie I am still here and I am so grateful.'

 Lottie added: '˜I really can't thank these two enough. We don't have any children so without him I wouldn't have anyone.

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

 

 

 

Paramedics have praised Steve and Chrissie.

A spokeswoman for South Central Ambulance Service said: '˜Getting CPR started as soon as possible after a patient has had a cardiac arrest is vital and can make such a difference to a persons survival. 

'˜In addition, access to Public Accessible Defibrillators (PADs) can further increase that chance of survival. 

'˜A huge well done to Chrissie and Steve for starting that early CPR and giving Chris the best chance.

Councillor Donna Jones also praised Steve for the part he played.

She said: '˜Stephen, thank you for saving the man's life and for being so brave.

'˜As a traffic warden, walking the streets daily, your skills and training have meant a family today are in hope and not sorrow.'