AN OFF-duty firefighter saved the life of a fellow gym-goer.

John Wheeldon, from Bolton, was working out when a man on a nearby cross-trainer collapsed to the floor.

He had only been at Total Fitness in Waters Meeting Road ten minutes when the man went into cardiac arrest.

Mr Wheeldon, said: "I arrived at the gym at around 8.40am and started my warm up on the cross trainer. I could see another man five machines down with his headphones on, listening to music.

"One minute the man was working out and the next minute he was lay on the floor."

Mr Wheeldon, who works at Bolton North fire station, rushed to the man's aid after realising the man was in cardiac arrest and shouted for help before performing chest compressions.

Mr Wheeldon added: "I ran over to the man and I could tell by the colour of his face that he wasn’t breathing. I pulled his body away from the machines so I had room to perform CPR.

"I continued with chest compressions whilst one staff member gave breaths and the other operated the defibrillator.

"We continued doing CPR for around six minutes before he started breathing on his own but he was under the recommended breaths per minute and then stopped breathing again. At this point the AED advised a shock, which he received just as the ambulance service arrived."

Paramedics took over and John assisted by continuing to do chest compressions. As the man was leaving with ambulance crews to hospital, he had come round.

Senior paramedic team leader from North West Ambulance Service, Shaun Brown said: "The patient was then transported to hospital where his level of consciousness increased, to the point of when we left Royal Bolton Hospital, he was sat up in bed."

Mr Wheeldon said: "Luckily, he can’t have been on the ground for more than a minute before I started CPR.

"Fortunately he got the help straight away with the assistance of the staff at the gym, who responded brilliantly.

"I’m very pleased that I was there to help someone, and that I have the knowledge and experience through my work to do so. Hopefully I have helped saved this man’s life regardless of being on-duty or off-duty.

"It was a case of being at the right place at the right time. I wish him a speedy recovery."

Cllr David Acton, chair of the fire committee, said: "John’s quick reaction and ability to perform this life saving skill has undoubtedly given him the best possible chance of making a full recovery.

"I would like to pay tribute to John’s actions and hope that the man makes a full recovery in hospital."