A GRANDFATHER had the rare chance to thank the quick-thinking heroes who saved his life.

John Crossley "passed away" when he collapsed earlier this year - and was only revived by a fast-acting First Responder and two off-duty nurses.

Mr Crossley had been playing the organ before a memorial service at Tollesbury Church when he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Coincidentally, First Responder June Crozier was at the service and rushed to get her medical bag.

Along with two nurses, David Mallard and Tim Hunter, who happened to be in the congregation, she performed CPR and used a defibrillator.

Mr Crossley, 71, of Mell Road, Tollesbury, said: "I was practising on the organ, and was playing a particularly fast piece fairly loudly when I had a cardiac arrest and collapsed over the organ.

"Lucky for me, there was a First Responder and two male nurses there, and by the time the air ambulance arrived they had restarted my heart and I was breathing.

"I woke up three hours later in intensive care at Colchester General Hospital."

Last week, Mr Crossley met Mrs Crozier, Mr Mallard, and members of the air ambulance crew who took him to hospital.

He said: "It was nice to be able to meet them and finally have a chance to say thank you.

"I am so grateful that I am still here to be able to do that."

Mr Crossley, who has three children and eight grandchildren, added: "I've since had a triple bypass, and now I'm feeling all right, which is remarkable considering I had passed away at the church."

He was left with a frozen shoulder but, almost six months to the day since the operation, Mr Crossley said he is "remarkably fit and well", and is due to start physiotherapy in January.

Mrs Crozier, 64, of Heybridge, said the incident proved how vital First Responders are.

She said: "I'm just so glad I was in the right place and the right time.

"We really need more First Responders, so I hope this will help people see what a difference they could make."