Brilliant effort in York Betfred shop helps save a precious life

Time for a truly uplifting story about caring people helping others, even in the most stressful of circumstances.

Our customer Alan Bartrum's life was saved by Betfred staff, after he suffered a heart attack. He fell off his stool at our shop in York and had stopped breathing.

Thanks to deputy manager David Nichols, who performed CPR, Alan was saved - and after a month in hospital has made a full recovery. Joiner Alan, aged 73, who was taken to Leeds General Infirmary by air ambulance, was re-united with hero David and told him: "You saved my life."

"I'm a Betfred regular virtually every day and usually have a go on the horses and the dogs. I don't remember what happened except they told me when I came round properly in hospital that I wasn't breathing for 15 minutes."

Betfred arranged for a little celebration at the shop at Acomb near Alan's terraced home in Copmanthorpe. And in a long-distance phone call with Betfred boss Fred Done, he ensured Alan and others in the shop at the time had a little flutter on him, with his very best wishes.

On the day of the emergency another Betfred staff member Grace Hare wasn't on duty but was passing on her way to a friend's party - and along with members of the self-styled "bingo crew" group of customers helped liaise with the ambulance service as David carried on with the CPR.

The ambulance crew were so impressed by David's life-saving efforts they told him on arrival to carry on, while they prepared the defibrillator.

Modest David, aged 35, who learned his first aid techniques in a previous job working for a hotel chain, said: "I heard a thud, and saw Alan had fallen off his stool. I rushed over and checked his pulse, and there was nothing - or it was very, very faint at best.

"With members of the bingo crew we got him on his back. It looked as if he had gone, but I kept doing CPR. It was an indescribable feeling when I found out he was doing well in hospital, and was being allowed home."

Grace helped manoeuvre unconscious Alan onto a stretcher so he could get into the ambulance to take him to the emergency helicopter, and has subsequently had another vitally important job ..... arranging with the council to cancel the four £70 parking tickets wardens had slapped on Alan's work van!

Alan added: "As I told the nurses in hospital I felt fine as usual that day and had gone to enjoy a bit of leisure time. I've never had any problem with my heart or anything else, really. They told me I had stopped breathing for 15 minutes and that I should be grateful to whoever did the CPR. That of course was David at Betfred.

"I was transferred from Leeds Infirmary to York Hospital and I think everyone was surprised about how quickly I had recovered. They let me out after I showed them I could make a cup of coffee and work a toaster!"

Betfred boss Fred said: "It was brilliant to speak to Alan and hear he was doing just fine. It is difficult to put into words how grateful I am to David, who showed himself to be a super employee. I hear he's into boxing as well as being a York City supporter so he can rest assured some big fight tickets will be heading his way by way of our thanks."

Good, kind and resourceful people mercifully often show themselves when needed the most, and it's a beautiful thing. Priceless, literally.

David, Alan and Grace are pictured, above; while Alan, and his favourite shop, are shown below.