An Almondbury man was part of a team who saved a rugby-league fan’s life after he collapsed whilst watching a game.

And this weekend Alex Diffley will be reunited with the man he helped to save.

Gordon Harding, 68, was watching Wakefield Wildcats play when he collapsed and was attended to by St John Ambulance volunteers and a duty doctor.

One of those volunteers was newly -qualified first-aider Alex, 25, of Almondbury, who began chest compressions when he found the grandfather-of-three was unresponsive and had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Alex and his first-aider colleagues Mike Crothers, Rachel Davies Jen Ward and duty doctor Patrick Tung, administered oxygen and when a defibrillator was brought, safely shocked Gordon’s heart until paramedics arrived and he was taken to hospital.

Two months later and Gordon has made a full recovery and will be returning to Wakefield Wildcats’ ground on Sunday to watch them play Salford but also to meet the lifesaving first-aiders.

Gordon, a loyal Wildcats fan said: “Words cannot express the huge debt of gratitude owed by my family and I to members of St John Ambulance whose prompt and efficient action was instrumental in saving my life.”

His son Richard Harding, who was at the match recalled: “Everyone cheered and I heard a thud. I turned round to find my Dad on the floor, totally unconscious and bleeding where he’d hit his head. It was very shocking, I thought he was dead.

“Their early help was critical. If it had happened anywhere else, where there was no St John Ambulance on duty, I have no doubt in my mind Dad wouldn’t be here today.”

Dr Patrick Tung, the duty doctor that helped save Gordon, said: “The volunteers remained composed and worked as a team in a highly professional manner. As a consultant in Emergency Medicine, I would not hesitate to work with any of them again”.

Alex, who works as an outdoor puruits instructor, is to train as a paramedic from September.

His colleague Mike said: “Everybody knew exactly what their jobs were and we coordinated it between us. The doctor and I gave the patient oxygen and AED shocks while Alex continued CPR and Jen looked after the family and the paperwork.

“People ask how did we manage it and I say it’s testament to St John Ambulance’s training.

“We are trained so well so that we do it without thinking.”

The charity welcomes volunteers with no previous first aid experience and provides training. More information visit click here or call 01924 262726, option 4, or e-mail north-east-hr@sja.org.uk.