A grandfather who collapsed after suffering a heart attack in an Ipswich supermarket has thanked everyone who helped saved his life.

Edwin Ardern, 79, fell to the ground on April 11 by the till at the Hadleigh Road Sainsbury’s and was entirely unresponsive.

Claire Fletcher from Great Bentley, who was in the store, saw what happened immediately began cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Mr Ardern.

Police Constables Kim Butler (left) and Katherine Bloom (right) attended the scenePolice Constables Kim Butler (left) and Katherine Bloom (right) attended the scene (Image: Newsquest) Police Constables Kim Butler and Katherine Bloom arrived on the scene. 

PC Butler continued with CPR while PC Bloom set up a defibrillator and administered one shock to the man.

Ambulance crews then arrived, and Mr Ardern was airlifted to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital before being transferred to Ipswich Hospital.

Mr Ardern said: “Once it happens, you’re on the floor and that’s the end of it for a fortnight. For a fortnight I wasn’t in this world.

"I was plugged into all sorts of machinery, and they carried my life onwards and I came round slowly. I was in hospital for nine weeks.”

He added: “I appreciate everything everybody did. If that hadn’t happened there’s no way I’d be alive today. I’ll be 80 in January, but I’ve got another 10 years I reckon.

“It was touch and go, I must admit. I had a couple of minutes to live apparently but they kicked my heart back into operation.”

Mr Arden lives in Harkstead and he has a daughter and grandson who live in Italy and supported him during his hospital stay. He plans to visit them next year.

He is a retired engineer for Royal Mail who used to install and fix office ventilation systems around Suffolk.

This was the first time PC Butler has ever done CPR in her 18 years on the job and the first time PC Bloom had ever used a defibrillator.

PC Butler said her training “just clicked in” and PC Bloom explained how she felt in the moment: “I don’t think you really even think about it. You are doing your best, you’re not half-heartedly doing it, you’re doing absolutely everything that you can.”

Both officers said they were “really excited” to hear of Mr Ardern’s recovery.

Ms Fletcher and PCs Bloom and Butler have all been awarded Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificates for saving the Mr Ardern's life.