WHEN a man collapsed while shopping with his wife in Iceland, an army cadet force lieutenant, who was also in the store, saved the day.

Chris Cooper, from Barry, heard shouts for help from staff and rushed forward to assist – having received first aid training.

Miraculously, even though there was doubt about the victim surviving, Mr Cooper’s actions were successful and the victim did survive.

Now Mr Cooper has been awarded a top national life-saving honour, a Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificate for his successful fight for life.

The incident happened at Barry’s Iceland store on September 15 last year.

On that fateful day, the man, who has not been named, collapsed and was initially responsive. Then he stopped breathing and Chris began to administer cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The man’s daughter arrived at the scene and called for an ambulance.

In the meantime Mr Cooper continued administering CPR which initially appeared to be reviving the man, but then he faded away again.

However, Mr Cooper continued with the CPR and eventually the man began to breathe again on his own.

Paramedics arrived and the man was taken to hospital where he was fitted with a pacemaker and went on to survive the ordeal.

Barry And District News:

Mr Cooper (left) learnt CPR as an army cadet force lieutenant 

Barry And District News:

Thanks to Mr Cooper's swift action in the store the man went on to survive even though at one stage hospital staff doubted he would

Along with the award, Mr Coopers calmness in the face of unimaginable pressure also won the praise of Andrew Chapman, Secretary of the Royal Humane Society.

“This was a knife edge situation but thanks to Chris’s treatment and persistence it all ended well,” said Mr Chapman.

“There was apparently a time in hospital when it was doubted that he would survive, but thankfully he did. Chris richly deserves the award he is to receive for refusing to give up on the man. He saved his life.

“This is another of many cases we get which illustrate the value of as many people as possible, not just members of the emergency services, learning the CPR technique. It can, as it did here, make the difference between life and death.”

The roots of the Royal Humane Society stretch back more than two centuries. It is the premier national body for honouring bravery in the saving of human life.

The society also awards non health care professionals who perform a successful resuscitation.

Since it was set up the Society has considered over 87,000 cases and made over 200,000 awards.

The society is a registered charity which receives no public funding and is dependent on voluntary donations.

What are three warning signs of a heart attack?

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(.gov) heart attack signs and symptoms in men and women include chest pain or discomfort; shortness of breath; pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back, arm, or shoulder; feeling nauseous, light-headed, or unusually tired.