A couple want to thank everyone who helped after one of them suffered cardiac arrest while visiting a west Dorset town.

Jeg and Ann Francis, who live in Yeovil, were visiting Lyme Regis with their 16-year-old daughter Sarah last month when Jeg went into cardiac arrest.

Ann, who is a sister on the intensive care unit at Yeovil District Hospital, said: “Sometimes Jeg does have fainting episodes, which initially is what I though it was, then it transpired it was more than that and he crumpled in a heap.

“I called out to someone to call an ambulance and he did immediately. I started CPR and lots of people stopped to help, which was really excellent.

“I barely verbalised that I wanted an AED (automated external defibrillator) and two appeared, so people had automatically gone to fetch them.

“There was another chap who stopped, and I have no idea who he was or what training he had, but he obviously knew what he was doing, and there was another lady who told me she had first aid training.

“He and I resuscitated him between us with the AED. It must have been eight or ten minutes before the first responder came.

“If it had happened at home, it would have been a completely different story because we would have had no AED, the ambulance crew would have taken a little while to come and I would have been on my own with no one to help me.”

The AED that was used was taken from Lyme Regis Masonic Hall, owned by Dorset Freemasons.

Graham Glazier, head of Dorset Freemasons, said: "We are thrilled to hear the defib at Lyme Regis was used to save a life. We have installed 17 of these across Dorset for public use.

"Our values mean that we try and give as much of our time to supporting our local communities, giving of our time and resources to serve others. These defibs are one practical example of how this works in Dorset."

Jeg was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital by air ambulance where he stayed for almost a week, but he is now on the road to recovery.

Jeg said: “All I remember is making a silly comment about hurrying up and the next thing I knew I was in hospital.

“I have been very battered and bruised from the compressions.

“It is remarkable they have around seven or eight AEDs in Lyme, I know it is hilly and you probably need it with all the tourists, but it is absolutely amazing.”

The couple want to thank all those who helped.

Ann added: “I really want to thank the people who stopped and helped - the chap who phoned the ambulance and his partner who sat with Sarah for a long time, the GP who happened to be passing, she sat with Sarah too, and the chap from the hotel who came out with glasses of water. Also, the fact they raised money for the AEDs and people knew where they are.

“Thanks to the ambulance service - we had a first responder, ambulance and air ambulance come and they were all really brilliant, really lovely. The first responder offered to drive us to Exeter.

“It did restore my faith in humanity when everyone stopped to help, and they were really helpful. No one made a big crowd around us, which was really good of them.”