A SON has paid thanks to three hero builders after they assisted in performing CPR on his father, who collapsed in the street after having a heart attack last Friday.

Trevor Sutton, of St James’ Court, East Street, was at home when he began experiencing chest pains, prompting him to call 999.

“My dad thought to himself: ‘No, something isn’t right here’,” said son Richard, from South Farnborough, who spoke with the Herald after the ordeal.

Trevor was told by the operator to stay put. However, living in a converted church, he was worried the ambulance could miss the indistinct entrance.

“Something inside of him just said: ‘No, I’ve got to get out,” Richard said.

“He managed to get down to the entrance at St James’ Court when the paramedic car turned up. My dad said that was the last thing he remembers, and he just collapsed in the street.”

It was then the paramedic called over three builders for assistance, who were completing works on the flats at St James’ Court.

Ash Dowdeswell, Scott House and Simon Thurlow – all of Portsmouth building group Endy Builders Ltd – began to help, with Simon administering CPR, and Ash and Scott helping the paramedic retrieve equipment, including a defibrillator.

Richard said: “They shocked my dad a total of six times. The ambulance then turned up and the builders helped to get him inside.”

The team had called for an air ambulance but with issues in finding a site to land, he was sent to Frimley Park Hospital.

“It was haunting for me because I found out my dad had tried to phone me after he’d called the ambulance to try to let me know, but I missed the call because I was taking my daughter to nursery.”

Richard spoke to someone at Frimley Park, who told him his father had been taken to theatre, had a stent put in and was then in recovery.

Following the news, Richard returned to the flats, determined to find the builders who had assisted in helping to save his dad’s life.

Richard said: “Chatting to my wife, she was thinking: ‘There’s going to be somebody at home today, saying ‘you’ll never guess what happened to me at work today’, having no idea what the outcome was.

“Because they helped save his life, I had to find them.”

Richard and his wife Catherine both posted messages on social media, which saw a total of 7,388 Facebook shares.

After only two days, the three men were found, with Richard exchanging Facebook messages with them on Sunday night.

“All three of them were so humble, feeling they hadn’t done much at all – but I just said no, you don’t understand, it was a team effort and you saved my dad’s life.”

Despite thanking them over social media, Richard knew he had to thank them in person.

“I went back down and gave them all a case of Peroni – it was the least I could do. I thought at least they could go home and have a beer and raise a toast to saving my dad’s life. It was very emotional, I broke down in tears.”

Speaking of his father’s recovery, Richard said he was now back at home and “very happy to be back in his own bed”.

“He is relaxing – he’s got no plans and he is now part of the NHS community support group to help him give up smoking,” Richard said.

“My dad can be quite stubborn, he doesn’t like to impose on people, but he’s on the road to recovery.”