A MAN saved the life of one of his best friends when he suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing.

Alister Brown used CPR and a defibrillator to resuscitate stricken Jim Stevenston when his heart suddenly stopped during a recent catch-up at Largs Golf Club.

Jim, 86, told the News he would be dead if it wasn't for the heroic actions of his pal.

He said: "He saved me, I simply wouldn't be here to tell the tale of what happened if it wasn't for Alister.

"I owe him my life."

Jim, who is a a retired business manager, was due to meeting for their weekly get-together, where they enjoy a dram and a blether.

He told how he began to feel unwell shorting after arriving at the club before starting to 'puff and pant' before passing out in front of Alister.

Jim added: “I went to the bar and realised I wasn't feeling right and had become very short of breath. I ordered two drinks, sat down at the table, waited for Alister to join me.

“I vaguely remember this hazy image of him coming through the door wearing a bright red pullover and then everything went black.

"The next thing I know I’m waking up on my back, with no idea of how long I've been there or what has happened. I’m surrounded by Alister and four paramedics, all working to keep me alive.

“Alister is a first responder so I was blessed to have a lifesaver right on the spot. If Alister hadn’t been there to use the defib, I wouldn’t be here today. It’s that simple."

Alister, 73, a retired teacher, has been a Community First Responder since 2004.

He is trained to deal with incidents such as cardiac arrests and strokes and immediately knew what had to be done when his pal collapsed.

The Largs grandfather said: “I walked across, took my jacket off and turned around to ask Jim how he was, but it was quickly obvious that things weren’t right.

"Next thing he was on the floor and wasn't breathing, and thankfully my training kicked in.

“I started CPR and knew that there was a defib on the outside wall of the golf club, so I called for someone to fetch it and told them to ring 999."

Alister said that his friend initially had no pulse.

He added: “Thankfully it only took one shock in to spark signs of life.

"There was a retired nurse in the club who was a great help. She was down at Jim’s hand and confirmed she he now had a pulse and that it was getting stronger, so I knew we were on the right road.”

Jim regained consciousness just as two ambulances arrived.

Alister explained: “The planets just aligned. Resuscitation was started very quickly, there was a defib to hand and Jim’s heart had a shockable rhythm. All these things conspired to give us a good outcome.

“Without my training I'm pretty confident the outcome would’ve been different. What we are taught through the First Responders is so important."

Both Jim and Alister are supporters of Largs Thistle and are regulars on the terraces of Barrfields Park.

The Largs First Responders launched in Largs in 2007 and runs as a charity, relying on volunteers and donations to survive.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “As has been shown here, the First Responders plays a vital role in the chain of survival and help us to save many lives by providing support in the crucial early minutes before an ambulance arrives.

“The fact we are saving more lives than ever before is testament to the care, compassion and dedication of our staff and volunteers.”

Earlier in the summer, the Largs First Responders were presented on behalf of the Scottish Ambulance Service with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal for their service to the community.