HEROIC efforts by staff and an off-duty policewoman were unable to save the life of an elderly shopper, who collapsed in the Tesco superstore in Stowmarket and later died.
HEROIC efforts by staff and an off-duty policewoman were unable to save the life of an elderly shopper, who collapsed in the Tesco superstore in Stowmarket and later died.
The 79-year-old man fell ill while shopping at the store at 10.40am yesterday.
It is thought that he had a heart condition, and was found lying on the floor shaking.
One ambulance crew attended the scene and rushed the man to Ipswich Hospital. He suffered a heart attack on the way, and an ambulance spokesman later confirmed that the man had died.
A Tesco spokeswoman said today: "Our thoughts are with our customer's family and friends at this very sad time."
The elderly customer, who was shopping with his daughter, was taken ill behind the checkouts.
The spokeswoman added: "Two checkout operators who are trained first-aiders attended the customer within seconds, and were joined by an off-duty policewoman who was shopping in the store.
"We closed the checkouts in the area and cordoned off the area in order to give the customer privacy while first aid was being administered. Together, our first aiders and the policewoman administered mouth to mouth resuscitation and heart massage.
"An ambulance was called by our staff as soon as the gentleman collapsed and the ambulance arrived about five minutes later."
Tesco staff also drove the man's daughter to Ipswich Hospital.
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