A footballer saved his teammate's life when his heart stopped beating and he collapsed on the pitch.
Hero Nathan Haynes said seeing professional footballers Fabrice Muamba and Christian Eriksen suffering cardiac arrests while playing helped spur him into action. The 26-year-old, who was on the sidelines nursing an injury, used a defibrillator to bring defender Scott Towers back to life.
Merseyside firefighter Nathan, who is also a trained emergency care assistant, said: "You could see it was serious straight away by the body language of the ref and players. I knew what a cardiac arrest was but seeing what happened to Fabrice Muamba, Christian Eriksen and Charlie Wikes definitely helped identify it.
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"At first I just went into work mode really without thinking too much about it. I ran from the other side of the pitch as quick as I could to assess him then as he progressed into cardiac arrest and we lost his pulse."
Scott's dad Ian, 55, said: "I'd just come out of the toilet and someone said my son had collapsed. By the time I got there he was dead, I think he had gone for about three or four minutes. I was in bits, you can't really put it into words."
Scott, 23, was playing for Ashville Football Club against Ellesmere Rangers on Monday, August 29. The club, who play at the Ray Parker stadium in Wallasey, were recently given a new defibrillator by the FA.
Nathan, from Eastham, said: "I remember looking around and seeing the face on his dad Ian behind me. It was that moment where my emotions came into play and the reality of what was happening hit me so I shouted 'come on Scotty stay with me'.
"He wasn't responsive so I started CPR and then the defibrillator was brought over and after two shocks we regained a pulse."
Seemingly healthy Scott, from Moreton, who was put into an induced coma, said doctors still don't know what caused his cardiac arrest. He said: "They found nothing wrong with my heart in hospital. I've had no health issues before, I play footy three times a week and have done since I was a little kid.
"I just can't put it into words how much I'm thankful to everyone, especially Nathan, I saw him on Saturday at the next match and gave him a massive hug. The doctors said to me 1 in 20 survive outside of hospital when they have a cardiac arrest.
"That's why you can't put a price on a defibrillator, they literally are priceless."
Hero Nathan called for defibrillators to be installed in all public buildings and said: "You never think it's going to happen to you or your loved ones but it's essential. Defibrillators are a must have. Thanks to charities like the Tim Cogley and Oliver King foundations more is being done to raise awareness.
"If I didn't have access to that defib, there's a chance Scott wouldn't be here today."
Ian added: "I owe these lads the world for saving my son, Nathan is a fireman and he's a true hero without a shadow of a doubt. There are a few heroes on the day, the NHS, the air ambulance service, the physio and his uncle Jimmy too.
"We need more defibrillators in public places. It shouldn't come down to money, this is about saving people's lives - it's so much more important."
Peter Reynolds, chairman of the Ashville Football Club, said: "Time is so precious in these situations, the quicker the access the more chance you have of keeping the person alive. We're going to get all of the players scanned now by the Tim Cogley Foundation.
"Every sports club should have a defib fitted, obviously they are expensive but you can't put a price on saving a person's life."
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