Roy Pipe saved by strangers in Langford after cardiac arrest

Roy Pipe, 82, collapsed outside his home and suffered from a cardiac arrest in Langford.

He had stepped outside to look at an overgrown gateway that he was concerned about when he collapsed.

Wife Merle, 81, said: “Two chaps drove past and luckily one of them had been learning how to do CPR with his job.

“If he had been in the garden, no one would have known.

“They called the ambulance and did mouth to mouth and CPR.

“A nurse drove past and stopped and carried on with the CPR and mouth to mouth until the ambulance came.

“It was amazing, all I can say is there are very nice people out there.

“They didn’t have to stop, they could have drove past.

“Roy was put into an induced coma. He had no reactions, not even a flicker of an eyelash.”

Merle was inside their home and saw what was happening when she went to check on Roy after realising he had been gone for some time.

The ambulance was soon at the scene and when they arrived at Basildon Hospital, the heart team were waiting outside the door to rush Roy inside.

Roy was mayor of Maldon from 1981-82 and 1987-88, and is the founder of R Pipe Insurance Consultants, based in the High Street in Maldon.

He is now recovering from his ordeal.

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Merle thanked the good Samaritans who saw Roy on the side of the road and stopped to help.

She said: “The kind, amazing people who helped save his life have restored our faith in human nature - the ambulance crew, Essex Air Ambulance, hospital staff, neighbours and family, but in particular Greg, Jason, Claire and Mary.

“They didn't drive past - they chose to stop to save the life of a complete stranger.

“They have all been to see us since. They were so relieved that he pulled through."