Lee and Cameron from Asda Stockport use defibrillator to save customer who stopped breathing

Asda colleagues Lee Farnell and Cameron Hayles helped to save the life of an elderly customer who had a cardiac arrest and stopped breathing in the car park of Asda Stockport.

First-aider Lee, along with two customers, performed CPR on the gentleman, while Cameron ran to get the store's defibrillator.

Paramedics said that without the intervention of the colleagues and customers the gentleman, who's in his 70s, may have died.

His daughter called in at the store to thank colleagues for their help and to tell them that after time in intensive care in hospital he's since been allowed home and is now on the road to recovery.

Lee is Asda Stockport's community champion and has worked for Asda for 19 years. He said: "I'd just got into work and I heard on my headset that there was someone in the car park who was having a heart attack. The gentleman wasn't breathing and was unresponsive when we arrived, and one customer had already started to give him CPR.

"I took over the CPR, as it's quite tiring, and did that until Cameron brought down the defibrillator. Another customer then took over the CPR while I attached the defibrillator to the gentleman. There was already someone on the phone to the ambulance call handler who was telling them what was happening.

"We had to give two shocks on the defibrillator and the machine then said to continue with the CPR. Luckily the paramedics quickly arrived and they continued the CPR before he was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.

"Everything happened so fast, it was very overwhelming. Adrenaline just took over. I'd never had to do anything like that before, or seen anything like that. I found it emotionally draining.

"I was so relieved to find out that the gentleman was well and back home, which is great news. It was a great team effort. It was just something that needed to be done in the moment and I'm proud of my part in it. Paramedics said the gentleman may not have made it if it wasn't for our help."

Cameron, the store's non food manager, said: "I heard a Tannoy about an incident in the car park so I went to investigate. Someone mentioned that someone was having a heart attack so I went to get the defibrillator and ran to the car park. Lee was amazing doing the CPR and using the defibrillator, as you have to do it right. The gentleman was in great distress.

"I was so happy when we found out from his daughter that he was now at home and resting, as I feared the worst. Everyone at Asda Stockport wishes the gentleman a full and speedy recovery."

There's a public-access defibrillator installed across all of major Asda stores, depots, and offices nationwide.