A FATHER who suffered a cardiac arrest while out running says a 'guardian angel' saved his life.

Fitness enthusiast Dave Adey was running on a path opposite the Barn Owl pub in Berkeley Way, Warndon Villages, Worcester, when he collapsed after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest.

But fortunately for him a Good Samaritan was nearby, who performed CPR until paramedics arrived, giving him the best possible chance of survival.

The paramedic used a defibrillator to revive him following the incident, which took place between noon and 1pm on Saturday, November 19.

Now Mr Adey, a 45-year-old father-of-two of Bamburgh Crescent, Warndon Villages, wants to express his gratitude to the stranger who saved his life and would like the chance to thank them face-to-face.

Mr Adey has heard through a mutual friend that his saviour was an off-duty nurse who may work at Worcestershire Royal Hospital's A&E, but he does not know for certain.

However, his discharge papers confirm that someone stopped to help, performing CPR for around 10 minutes until an ambulance crew arrived.

He was taken to intensive care at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester, where he spent three days.

From there he was transferred to a cardiac ward at the same hospital before being discharged on Wednesday, November 23.

Mr Adey, a procurement director, says superficial injuries suggest he fell onto his hands and knees and struck his chin, but he has no recollection of events and is still trying to piece together what happened.

The first thing he remembers is waking up in the cardiac ward.

Mr Adey has been told that the cardiac arrest was caused by a blocked coronary artery.

He said: "I want to say an incredible, heartfelt, emotional thank you very much to the person who saved my life. I owe my life to the person who stopped. I'm very, very grateful. If they wanted to meet me I would personally say thank you to them.

"To the paramedics I would say the same. The NHS was excellent. I have absolutely no complaints and nothing but good things to say.

"I have two sons, Jake, aged 18 and Kian, aged 15. That person has enabled me to continue to be a dad which is incredibly humbling."

Mr Adey often runs on the paths around Warndon Villages, many of which can be screened from view by trees.

He says it is lucky he collapsed within sight of someone who had the power to help him and that to some extent his fate was in the 'lap of the gods'.

There is no known history of any heart problems in Mr Adey's family and he is heavily into fitness.

He runs a junior football team - the Worcester Hawks - and has played himself for Redditch, Evesham United and Solihull Borough, now the Solihull Moors, also attending the gym and playing squash and tennis.

His ex-wife, Michelle Adey, a student nurse, has returned from training in Tanzania to support the family and Mr Adey says his parents and girlfriend, Chrissie Cornes, have been very supportive.

Mrs Adey said she believes people should try and run in pairs or carry identification with them.

She said: "We're not aware of the time frame. We don't know how long he had been on the floor for. That is quite critical.

"I was shocked. Dave is super-fit. He's the last person you would ever think something like this would happen to.

"We know absolutely there was a guardian angel. We just don't know who it was."

* Were you Mr Adey's guardian angel? Email jc@worcesternews.co.uk or call 01905 742244

.