CONNIE Rorrison thought she was the last person on earth who would have a heart attack.

She did not smoke, drink large amounts of alcohol or have a fatty, high salt diet.

But last year, the Bolton Commercial College administrator suffered heart failure.

Mrs Rorrison, aged 60, said: "I had just eaten a large tea. At first I thought I had indigestion.

"But then it grew so bad, I just knew that I was having a heart attack. There was no drama. It wasn't like something out of Casualty when people collapse on the floor clutching their chest.

"When I came round 24 hours later in the coronary care unit, I couldn't believe what the nurses and doctors were saying.

"I was absolutely amazed, and very frightened."

Mrs Rorrison, an amateur actress for the No How Production Company, underwent rehabilitation at home which included going to the gym on prescription.

She is now back at work full time and continuing her acting hobby, with an added incentive of raising money for a new £1 million coronary care unit.

Mrs Rorrison was so grateful for her treatment that she decided to donate £400 to the appeal raised from a production by the No How players at Bolton School in December.

"There is a big increase in heart attack patients in Bolton and with the population of Bolton increasing year on year, we need a bigger and better cardiac unit," said Mrs Rorrison. "We have to have more resources to cope."