A WOMAN has told of the “terrifying” moment she found her husband lying unconscious on the bathroom floor - and stepped in to save his life.

Kate Hardy, 46, of Stockton Lane, York, was enjoying a barbecue with her husband Carl, 53, and her two daughters Tier, 12 and Amber, 14, when the drama unfolded.

Carl went upstairs to take a shower and suddenly collapsed face-first on the bathroom floor, suffering from a heart attack, but thankfully Kate knew what to do.

She said: “I heard a bang upstairs and went to see what had happened and found Carl collapsed on the floor.

“It was a terrifying moment but I knew immediately that he needed an ambulance so I rang 999 and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which I did until the ambulance arrived and he was in the safe hands of the wonderful paramedics.”

Carl was rushed to York Hospital after his collapse on August 26, where he was admitted into an induced coma for six days.

He subsequently had surgery to have an internal defibrillator and pacemaker fitted and has since made a full recovery.

Speaking at Archbishop Holgate’s School yesterday (Wednesday) - as part of Restart a Heart Day - the mum, who works as a support worker at Hempland Primary School, said: “I was so anxious and terrified for the whole six days, waiting and hoping that Carl would wake up. I was overcome with joy when he did. For a while, I thought we could lose him.”

She added that it was thanks to her CPR training that she was aware of what to do before the paramedics arrived.

“I have always been first aid at work trained but I have never had to deal with anything like this. It’s unbelievable how life can change. One minute we were preparing for a barbecue and the next I was doing CPR. I am just so thankful I had the training and knew what to do”, she said.

Yesterday, the couple gave a speech at the school about the importance of learning CPR, and how it could help save someone’s life.

Carl said: “I was incredibly lucky and I am forever thankful to my wife.

“There is no doubt the outcome would have been different if Kate had not had CPR training in the past. Kate’s quick thinking and actions significantly contributed to me being alive today. I fully believe that without Kate’s action I would either be dead or in a physically and/or mentally impaired state.

“Instead I have made a full recovery with no lasting issues.

“But, in the UK, less than one in 10 people survive a cardiac arrest. If we achieved the same survival rates of countries like Norway, with a record of 25 per cent, where CPR is taught in schools, an additional 100 lives could be saved each week - the equivalent of approximately 5,000 every year.

“It’s incredibly important that the kids are taught this from a young age because the skills stay with you for life and can really mean the difference between life and death.”

Archbishop Holgate’s, as well as other schools in York, is hosting a Healthy Heart Week - in which 1,000 students will learn CPR and receive information about how to keep their hearts healthy.