A 73-year-old man died after suffering a suspected heart attack while walking in Belmont.

The walker collapsed at about 1.50pm yesterday on moorland in Spitlers Edge, which lies above Horden Stoops, on the high point between Rivington and Belmont.

The pensioner had been walking with ten others who had carried out continuous CPR on him while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

Paramedics from both the ambulance service and the North West Air Ambulance service arrived on the scene alongside members of Bolton’s Mountain Rescue Team.

Members of all teams took part in providing the CPR, while drugs were also administered to the man by a doctor travelling with the Air Ambulance team.

Despite the efforts of all crew members, it was reported that the man died at the scene.

The walker’s companions were escorted down to Horden Stoops as their friend’s body was brought down off the moor on a stretcher by MRT members, who arrived at the Horden Stoops roadside car park at 3pm.

A spokesman for the mountain rescue team said: “Here in a sombre and sad but necessary little exchange, the walking companions bid their farewells to their walking friend.”

He added: “The team all wish to express their sincere condolences to the wife, family and walking companions of the man involved.”

​The ten walking companions of the deceased man, all from an organised walking group from Cheshire, were then taken by two Lancashire Police vehicles to their vehicles that were parked at Abbey Village.