An amateur golfer who owes his life to an advert featuring actor Vinnie Jones and who starred with the former footballer in a further advert promoting the technique that restarted his heart, has returned to the golf course where he collapsed.
Alan Linton was 39 when the incident happened on a Colinsburgh golf course on February 5 2012.
Mr Linton, a labourer from Ladybank, was saved by friends, who remembered the British Heart Foundation’s CPR advert featuring Jones and the Bee Gees song Stayin’ Alive.
Doctors said he would not have survived otherwise. He went on to star in a later advert with Jones.
Alan returned to the golf course at Charleton Golf Club with his eight-year-old son, Sam, who demonstrated to his dad that anyone can use a public access defibrillator when unaided and with no experience.
East Neuk First Responders recently installed a public access defibrillator (PAD) at Charleton.
Working with community councils and others groups, the organisation has now installed 25 machines in the East Neuk and has inspired others across Scotland to do the same, including St Andrews-based Operation Heart Start.
Charity chairwoman Gillian Duncan said: “We were delighted that Alan and Sam came along to see our newly installed PAD. He is a very lucky man.
“When he had his cardiac arrest, his friends were able to buy time with chest compressions until a paramedic arrived with a defibrillator.
“There are around 60,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK every year but fewer than one in 10 people survive. While sometimes CPR can buy enough time for an ambulance to arrive, often that is not the case.
“The earlier the casualty can receive a shock from a defibrillator, the better their chance of survival.”
Alan had an internal defibrillator fitted after his cardiac arrest and is now fit and well.
He would like to see everyone have the same chance that he has had and is now also working with a group of people in his home town to raise funds for their own PADs.
At the moment fewer than 10% of the 30,000 people in the UK who have a cardiac arrest out of hospital each year survive long enough to leave hospital alive.
The British Heart Foundation said that if someone carries out early CPR, it may double a casualty’s chances of survival.
Anyone wishing further information can contact East Neuk First Responders at Anstruther Medical Practice on 01333 310352, or email eastneukfirstresponders@nhs.net or visit www.enfr.org.uk.