John Callaghan, of Cedar Street, Braunston, says the team of RNLI lifeguards in St Ives, Cornwall saved him by re-starting his heart after he collapsed on the bathroom floor of his holiday apartment.

Mr Callaghan suffered a cardiac arrest after a session body surfing – lying down on a surfboard on the sea – off Porthmeor beach.

His son Julian, who used to be a lifeguard at Stamford Leisure Pool, gave his father emergency resuscitation while his grandson Harry Tallis, 12, ran to the beach to ask for help.

Lifeguards Robert Sprent-Howell, James Symons, Emily Harris and Ben Tregonning used a defibrillator to start Mr Callaghan's heart before he was airlifted him to hospital in Truro.

This week Mr Callaghan returned to St Ives to present a £500 cheque to the RNLI and Julian, 37, of Islington, North London, will be running the London Marathon next year to thank the team.

Mr Callaghan, who had a triple bypass in 1990, said: "They are wonderful people. I owe them my life. There is no adequate way of compensating them."

Mr Callaghan, who has been body surfing since 1962, was holidaying in St Ives with wife Gill, 74, Julian, daughter Sue Tallis, 47 and her children Lucy, 15, and Harry, who live in Frolisworth, near Lutterworth.

He returned to the apartment feeling cold and tired after a surfing session on July 16.

John suddenly collapsed on the bathroom floor. Julian began first aid and Sue called 999.

The team of lifeguards collected an emergency first aid kit, including a defibrillator, and ran to the apartment where they found Mr Callaghan unconscious.

Mr Callaghan's heart was shocked three times by the defibrillator to get it started.

Another lifeguard Sarah Rowe and the St Ives Coastguard team cleared an area on the beach for the Royal Navy helicopter to land to take Mr Callaghan, who was breathing but had a weak pulse, to hospital.

After five days in intensive care in Truro, Mr Callaghan was transferred to Glenfield Heart Hospital, in Leicester and underwent surgery to fit an implantable cardioverter defibrillator which monitors his heart and delivers a jolt of electricity if he has heart rhythm problems.

Mr Callaghan is now fully recovered but says he has quit body surfing.
Mr Symons said: "We were delighted and very relieved when John's wife came down to the beach the next day to tell us that he was making a recovery.

"It's been amazing seeing him, looking extremely well and healthy and it really helps the lifeguards to feel that they did a good job. His donation is very generous."