Husband follows first aid advice from Vinnie Jones ad to save partner

By IAN SWANSON
Published on 21/11/2012 12:00

JOINER Derek Burt saved his partner’s life by remembering a TV ad which featured Vinnie Jones and the Bee Gees’ pop classic Stayin’ Alive.

When he woke to find her having a heart attack, he was able to give her vital first aid by recalling the advice to resuscitate someone with cardiac arrest by pumping their chest to the beat of the 1977 hit – about 100 to 120 times a minute.

Mr Burt, 49, from Dalkeith, kept up the chest compressions until paramedics arrived to take care of 43-year-old Angela.

Now the couple – who got married after she was discharged from hospital – are to feature in a new British Heart Foundation advert with Vinnie Jones and others who were helped by the Stayin’ Alive ad campaign.

Mrs Burt, 43, had no history of heart problems before becoming unwell in February.

Mr Burt said he had no idea anything was wrong until he woke and heard her making a strange coughing sound.

He said: “I thought something didn’t sound right so I put the light on. I could see her eyes were open, her mouth was open but she wasn’t breathing. I got her off the bed and onto the floor and the first thing I thought of was the Vinnie Jones ad. I only watched it and paid attention because it had him in it.

“Had it been a doctor in a white coat I wouldn’t have paid so much attention. I certainly never dreamt I’d have to use it a few months later.”

He got Angela on to the floor and started chest compressions. “I kept doing CPR for five minutes and phoned for an ambulance. They told me to carry on while they were on their way. Slowly I could see the colour returning to Angela’s cheeks, so I knew it must be doing something right.”

Mrs Burt said: “I just feel so incredibly lucky that Derek saw the ad.”