A FIRST responder is teaching CPR to the public after his life was saved eight years ago.

Alex Murphy then 51, suffered a catastrophic injury after being kicked in the chest whilst playing rugby.

He was brought back to life with the speedy response of quick acting by-standers trained as first responders.

The by-standers performed CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) before using a defibrillator, and after eleven and a half minutes they managed to shock his heart back to life.

Mr Murphy became a First Responder in Clitheroe with North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).

He said: “After moving to quite an isolated part of Lancashire I realised how important it was to get swift response to those who suffer a cardiac response.

"And having been saved by the kindness and generosity of bystanders, I decided that it was important I was able to offer the same level of care that was afforded to me

“We like to get to someone within six minutes and start CPR but it’s really important that anyone who witnesses a collapse start CPR as soon as possible to give them a fighting chance of survival.

“I now teach CPR and Heartstart courses on behalf of NWAS to members of the public, schoolchildren and any other organisation.

“I have now responded to a number of cardiac arrests and done the best I can to give them the best chance of survival."

Mr Murphy suffered from, Commotio Cordis, which causes disruption to the rhythm of the heart; that happens as a result of a blow to the area directly over the heart at a critical time during the cycle of a heartbeat.

Dr David White, a GP in Burnley and the clinical lead for urgent care at Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Groups, added: “Community First Responders do a wonderful job and are valued members of the urgent care system.

"Because they live and work in the community they can get to those critically ill or injured patients very quickly whilst it might take an ambulance crew that little bit longer.

"They really do make all the difference when faced with a potentially life or death situation.”