Quick-thinking colleagues save quarry worker's life

Contractor Roger Cooper, 51, collapsed while on shift at Sterndale Moor’s Dowlow Quarry.

Colleagues rushed to help - with one of them starting CPR while another phoned 999 and relayed instructions to colleagues.

Luckily the quarry had a defibrillator on-site which the workers used at least ‘four times’ to keep the stricken man’s heart going during the hour between him being found and the air ambulance arriving.

Roger was airlifted to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital where he made a full recovery after having four stents fitted to reduce the risk of further heart attacks in the future.

Bernard Mycock, 60, who kept traffic clear in the carpark where his colleague lay, said the situation was ‘very close’.

He said: “It was unbelievably serious situation and just awful to see. We were so grateful to the air ambulance for what they did - they played a massive role because he really needed help.”

Bernard, a fitter at the quarry, has raised more than £700 for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance to thank them for saving his colleague’s life.

n For more information, visit theairambulanceservice.org.uk.