A KEEN golfer who collapsed after having a massive heart attack miraculously survived because the player behind him had just completed a specialist first aid course.

Barry Duxbury, 77, collapsed face down into the ground shortly after striking a drive at Parley Golf Centre at the end of March.

The player behind him, David Price, went to his aid with skills he had picked up on a British Heart Foundation (BHF) first aid course.

With the help of Barry’s playing partner Colin Cox, David carried out CPR for 15 minutes while Kelvin Holmes, who had been playing with David, waited for paramedics to arrive.

The Freemason from Bournemouth was taken to hospital where he made a full recovery.

“The last thing I remember is walking towards the tee,” the retired shop proprietor said.

“The next thing I recall is waking up in hospital and being told what had happened.

“I can’t thank David, Colin and Kelvin enough because without them I wouldn’t be here.”

He was told by doctors that only four per cent of people survive the type of heart attack he had suffered and only the same percentage of survivors avoid brain damage.

“As soon as I was able, I was back in the driving range, on the practice area and playing the new course,” he added. “My only regret is that I have no memory of the tee shot which I’m told was brilliant.”

He has now bought a defibrillator and donated it to the golf club.

David, 69, said: “I remember Barry waving myself and Kelvin through but we are quite slow and were in no hurry so I declined.

“Then Barry hit a fantastic tee shot, right down the middle of the fairway – the best shot he’d hit in months apparently. He set off after it with his partner Colin.

“As I set my ball down I looked up and saw Barry face down. I rushed over to him and his glasses had cut his face and he wasn’t breathing.

“Luckily I had been on a British Heart Foundation (BHF) Heartstart course two weeks before so I did what I had learned and cleared the airways and started CPR.

“I found it very difficult to keep up so Colin helped me and Kelvin was on the phone relaying the information from the emergency services. It was a real team effort.

“If Kelvin and I had gone ahead of Barry we wouldn’t have seen him collapse and if I hadn’t been on the Heartstart course I wouldn’t have known what to do, and certainly wouldn’t have had the confidence to try anything.

“Straight afterwards Kelvin and his wife booked themselves on a course and I would recommend it to everyone. It is literally a life saver.”

Information on the BHF courses can be found at bit.ly/2fvmmeC