A DAD who is lucky to be alive after suffering a heart attack has praised the “out of this world” NHS staff who helped save his life.

Martin Ledbury began to feel “sick as a dog”, experience crushing chest pain and broke into a sweat after he had been at a customer’s house repairing an oil boiler.

Later tests would show that all three of his coronary arteries were almost completely blocked.

The 52-year-old, of Tweed Close, Medway Park, Worcester, fell ill on Friday, November 2.

He told his wife of 26 years: “I think I might be having another heart attack.”

Within minutes of his wife Susan calling 999, the father-of-one said three “fantastic” paramedics and two volunteers were at his home.

He said: “I was very scared.

“I had a heart attack before in 2003 but this was worse.

“It was all down my left arm and it felt like there was a vice on my chest.”

He was given aspirin to thin the blood and he was put on an echocardiogram in his kitchen before an ambulance took him to A&E at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

He was monitored in the medical assessment unit before he was moved onto a cardiac ward.

Mr Ledbury said: “The nurses are out of this world and worked their socks off.

“I was very satisfied with the care. I have no doubt they saved my life.

“The consultant in Worcester told me how lucky I was to be alive.

“You can’t be more grateful than I am. You just can’t knock them.

“Everybody at that hospital from the cleaner to the ward sister to the doctor was fantastic.

“Nothing was too much trouble.”

Mr Ledbury thought he may need a new stent but tests showed that two of his arteries were 90 per cent blocked and the third was completely blocked.

He was stuck for words and went into shock when the consultant told him “you need a triple heart bypass”.

He praised in particular a student nurse called Claire Styles and Jane Savage, manager of laurel ward, for the excellent care they gave him.

Mr Ledbury had the procedure at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton on Tuesday, November 20, spending seven hours in theatre.

The open heart surgery involved taking veins from an arm, leg and chest and grafting them onto the existing heart vessel.

He also thanked the staff there and praised his wife who he said had been “a rock” for him.”

Dr Jasper Trevelyan, consultant cardiologist at Worcester, said: “We are delighted to hear of the positive experience Mr Ledbury had at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

“The cardiology team are extremely proud of the high quality service they provide to patients and they will be pleased to know that their hard work and effort has made such a difference.”