A GREAT-grandfather is celebrating after his life was saved twice — by the same doctor.

Jack Heywood, aged 72, was clinically dead for nearly 10 minutes on the two occasions he suffered a cardiac arrest. And both times it was consultant physician Nadia Raza who came to his rescue

His first heart attack happened outside Morrisons off Chorley Old Road in January. Dr Raza, of the Royal Bolton Hospital, was driving into the car park at the time and saw someone was on the ground. She rushed over to help and gave CPR.

Mr Heywood and Dr Raza became friends and kept in touch, and when he again suffered a cardiac arrest in August while at a friend's house, his wife Gladys knew who to turn to.

Instead of travelling to hospital, she drove her husband to Dr Raza's house nearby, where she again gave him CPR and saved his life.

Mr Heywood, of Whiting Grove, Ladybridge, has since made a recovery and has had an implantable defibrillator installed which will restart his heart if the worst happens again. He has named the defibrillator Nadia in honour of his "guardian angel".

Thanks to Dr Raza's actions, Mr Heywood has been able to celebrate the birth of his fourth great-grandchild.

He said: "She is my guardian angel, that's what I call her anyway! Now I know I have got my little Nadia with me all of the time.

"I am so grateful to her. It was so lucky that she was there at Morrisons the first time, and my wife just thought the second time that rather than going all the way to hospital we could go to Nadia. It was lucky she was in as well."

Since then, Dr Raza has undertaken charity events to raise money in aid of defibrillators, and Mr Heywood asked that the defibrillator purchased as a result be given to Westhoughton High School, as his brother's children attended the school.

Dr Raza said Mr Heywood's case is very rare and that he was lucky to survive two separate cardiac arrests.

She said: "Jack is unique because he has survived two out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

"The rate of survival to hospital discharge for a patient who has an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is only eight per cent.

"The key to survival is the immediate commencement of basic life support (chest compressions with or without mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) and early defibrillation (shock treatment)."

But Mr Heywood's "guardian angel" moved to downplay her role, saying it was a "team effort".

She added: "Jack received superb post-resuscitation care from the North West Ambulance Service, and in the accident and emergency department, intensive care unit and the cardiology wards at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

"I am sure this is why he has done so well since he was discharged from hospital."

The grandfather of four and great-grandfather of four is now taking part in cardiac activities at Horwich Leisure Centre in a bid to make his heart stronger.

Tracey Garde, the chairman of Bolton ICD Support Group and Defibs4Bolton which raises money for defibrillators in the town, said awareness is starting to grow about the devices.

She said: "Three years ago when we started there were very few in the town, but now we have given out more than 100.

"Jack's story shows just how important they can be in saving lives."