Betfred staff save customer’s life after suffering heart attack in shop

Dave Humphries got the top prize at the local Betfred bookies .... his life.

The hospital domestic collapsed with a heart attack while putting his regular 49s numbers game and Irish Lotto bets on.

But shop staff Wendy Richards and Teresa Hodges instinctively knew what to do to help save the 62-year-old bachelor.

Wendy, who originally thought Dave was bending over to pick up something he'd dropped at the Betfred shop at Weoley Castle in Birmingham, promptly placed him in the recovery position.

With colleague Teresa (pictured below, left), who had rung 999 and was relaying instructions from the ambulance operator, Wendy (below, right) administered CPR.

She said: "He was making horrible gurgling noises as if he was having a fit. I don’t really know how I managed to do the CPR - maybe from some TV programme. Anyway I didn't think about it I just kept on pumping, with Teresa telling me what to do."

Betfred customers Stephen Riddell and Sofiene Amara also helped stricken Dave (above, with his guardian angels) as they all awaited the ambulance, police and emergency doctor.

Stephen joined Wendy with the CPR having admitted he'd once saved his pet dog, while Sofiene located a defibrillator 500 yards away. Dave was eventually taken to the coronary care unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he works.

After an operation he's since made a full recovery and the two Betfred workers Wendy and Teresa together with Stephen and Sofiene will be honoured by the Royal Humane Society with awards presented by the West Midlands Chief Constable at a ceremony later this month.

Wendy, a 64-year-old grandmother, added: "I felt really emotional at the time but I'm so pleased Dave, who is a lovely bloke, has pulled through. The police said he'd died two or three times here at Betfred, in the ambulance and then again at the hospital."

Teresa, also 64 and a grandmother, said:  "He was gone and we brought him back then he was fighting and the emergency doctor gave him a sedative. I'm really happy because Dave is such a nice man."

Dave, a former warehouse worker who has worked for the NHS for 11 years, said: "If it wasn't for Wendy and Teresa I wouldn't be here ... simple as that.

"I've had my ups and downs at Betfred over the years, winning and losing like all customers, but this was my biggest win; and I didn't even put a bet on!

"When I got to the hospital tests showed one artery was completely blocked and the other 99 per cent blocked. I collapsed again within 24 hours in the hospital  unit and they said they had better get on with an operation."

Now back at work, Dave has changed his lifestyle with a self-imposed ban on pork pie, pizzas and chips! Dave added: "I had not been ill or anything and had been laughing and joking with Wendy and Teresa when it hit me out of the blue."

Betfred boss Fred Done said: "Wendy and Teresa were truly amazing and I'm delighted their heroic actions have been recognised by the Royal Humane Society."