A WIFE has spoken of how she fought in vain to save her retired-GP husband after he collapsed in the street from a massive cardiac arrest.

Bryony Partridge used CPR and mouth-to-mouth in a desperate bid to revive him.

Paramedics arriving on the scene also battled unsuccessfully to resuscitate the 69-year-old.

This week Bryony, an associate priest at Christ Church in Oakworth, praised the ambulance crews for their "amazing" efforts.

And she paid an emotional tribute to her 'soulmate' and husband of 43 years, Gerald.

He was walking to the church when he collapsed.

A distraught Bryony, who had headed out from their home to meet him, saw him slumped in the road.

"A motorist had stopped and was talking to the ambulance people on the phone," she said.

"I tried to resuscitate him, but there was just no response.

"When the ambulance crews arrived they worked on him too, they were amazing.

"It would have been very sudden and Gerald wouldn't have known anything about it, which is a blessing.

"He hadn't been ill at all, there were no signs of anything untoward.

"It has come as a massive shock to everyone."

Bryony said that since her husband's death – on October 29 – she and the family had received countless messages from friends and people who knew Gerald, which had provided huge comfort.

"The support we've received and the number of messages has been incredible and deeply touching," said the 66-year-old.

"Gerald was very compassionate and dedicated to the service of others, they were the hallmarks of his life, and he was a real gentleman. And this is reflected in all the comments we've received.

"He would do anything to help others and was a fine role model for the boys."

The couple have two sons – Roland, 39, a paediatric surgeon based in Edinburgh, and Tristan, 37, who lectures at the University of California.

There are also daughter-in-laws Julia and Javiera and two grandsons, Edmund, three, and Rufus, one.

Dr Partridge was a GP in Keighley for 26 years.

He began at a Skipton Road surgery in 1982, the year he and Bryony settled in Oakworth.

The practice was absorbed into Holycroft Surgery in 1997 and he continued working there until he retired in 2008.

Following his retirement he carried on running a weekly cardio clinic at Leeds General Infirmary, until about three years ago.

"Gerald had a particular interest in cardiology and spent a lot of his own time studying it," said Bryony.

"He pioneered echocardiography in the community locally. He got a machine into Holycroft and other GPs sent their patients to him for scans.

"That was very much appreciated by both fellow GPs and patients."

Dr Partridge was born at Eccleshall in Staffordshire.

He won a scholarship to St Peter's College, Oxford, in 1966 to read chemistry.

But a medical career was already in his sights.

"He was good at chemistry – he got a first in it – but he had always had a hankering for medicine and his desire to be a doctor didn't go away," said Bryony.

"He was awarded a grant to study medicine and enrolled at Sheffield University."

The couple met during a Christian mission working with churches in Skelmersdale, and after completing his first year at Sheffield, Gerald returned to Oxford to be near Bryony.

They married in November, 1974.

"He was a man of deep Christian faith," said Bryony.

"He was hugely supportive of me from the moment I started training to be ordained.

"And when I was training, Gerald found it quite life-changing.

"He enrolled on a masters degree course in science and theology. He did that for two years, graduating last summer.

"But he loved being a doctor, and always missed it."

Dr Partridge, who was a Queen's Scout and rowed for his college at Oxford, had a passion for walking – particularly in Yorkshire, Scotland and the Lake District.

He was medical officer for the Fellsman Hike for over 20 years and for Keighley Show, in which Bryony is also involved, until about two years ago.

His other interests included the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, where he was a life member and had been training as a crossing keeper.

He was also a former Venture Scout leader in Oakworth.

The funeral service is at Christ Church, in Colne Road, at 11.30am on Saturday, November 11.

A shuttle bus service will operate from the Oakworth Crematorium gates from 10.30am to take people to the church, in a bid to avoid congestion in the village.

People are being encouraged, where possible, to use it.

Family flowers only are requested, but donations are welcome, to be split between the church and the Amos Trust.

The service will be followed by interment at Oakworth Cemetery.