A FOOTBALLER’S life was saved by an assistant referee who dashed to his aid when he “swallowed his tongue” during a match.

Radcliffe Boro player Martyn Forrest collapsed 20 minutes into the club’s Saturday clash against Durham City.

The 28-year-old’s airway became blocked by his tongue and he started to fit in front of horrified players and spectators.

But luckily, one of the match officials was a GP, and, along with physiotherapists from both teams, he managed to clear the stricken player’s airways and revive him.

Ronnie Evans, Radcliffe Boro’s physiotherapist, said: “When we got to him his airway was blocked by his tongue. We suspected something was wrong before he hit the ground — there was something strange going on.

“We managed to get his tongue released and his airways clear, then he had the fit. But we got him through and managed to bring him round when he started breathing again.

“We were very relieved to get him back again. The tongue is a muscle that just contracts — you don’t swallow it as such, but you have to clear the passage.”

Mr Forrest was nowhere near the ball when he collapsed. As he fell to the ground, assistant referee and Manchester-based GP Charles Ahme as well as the physios of both clubs — Mr Evans and Durham’s Gary Miller — rushed on to the field.

Referee Peter Norris told the shocked players of both teams to leave the field as a crowd of more than 100 spectators watched in stunned silence.

Dr Ahme, Mr Evans and Mr Miller managed to clear the former Bury player’s airways, but while they were doing so, he suffered a fit. They gave him first-aid and after 15 minutes, Mr Forrest was helped to his feet. As the relieved crowd applauded, he was able to walk slowly off the pitch. He was taken to hospital by ambulance, but was not detained overnight.

After discussions between the referee and coaching staff of both sides, the match was abandoned.

Boro director of football, Gerry Luczka, said: “This is one of those occasions when we were so grateful that we had three people there with the level of expertise to deal with that sort of situation.

“It underlines the importance, even in local football, of not just having a bucket-and-sponge-man on hand.

“Thankfully, common sense prevailed when the game was called-off. We are a close-knit dressing room and to see one of your team-mates suffering like that is something none of the lads had seen before and it was quite a shock to them.

“To see that, then go out on the field of play to concentrate on a game of football would have been impossible.