Daughter's thanks for members of public who helped her father after he collapsed with heart attack outside Spar in Padiham Road in Burnley

John Jenkinson was at the cash point outside the Spar in Padiham Road last Saturday morning just before 9am when he suffered a heart attack. Pete Wakeford immediately rang 999 and started CPR while taking instructions over the phone from the operator. He then handed over to first aid trained Lisa Hefford who continued CPR until the air ambulance arrived.

Paying tribute to them, John’s daughter Lisa Crowther said: “There is no doubt they saved my dad’s life with their quick thinking action and I really cannot thank them enough.”

John (71) was flown by North West Air Ambulance to Wythenshawe Hospital where he remains in the critical care unit after undergoing a double heart bypass. Beautician Lisa said: “My dad can’t remember anything about what happened. He has been very poorly but he is continuing to get better every day.

“He has been planning a trip in a helicopter for some time but it kept getting cancelled. We have joked it’s a pity he’s been up in one now but he can’t remember a thing about it.”

Sadly Lisa lost her mum, Susan Jenkinson, in January last year so when police called at her home to break the news about her dad, who is grandfather to Morgan and Megan, she feared the worst at first. She added: “I think my mum must have been watching over dad.”

Lisa has now been in contact with both heroes of the hour. She met Pete while visiting a friend in Burnley and discovered he was the builder doing work on her house. Lisa said: “This was such a bizarre coincidence and I also realised that I knew Pete already as he has done building work for a neighbour of mine too. Once my dad is up to it we want to meet up and thank Pete, Lisa and also her husband who was with her, properly.”

Lisa and her family are also keen to do something to thank the North West Air Ambulance who she described as ‘fantastic.’