kesgrave: When he suffered a heart attack at his home, the prognosis did not look good for Bill Childs.

On July 14 the pensioner was woken at 6am by excruitating pain in his chest.

Fearing the worst his partner Maggie Lloyd dialled 999.

Within minutes paramedics were at the couple’s home in Church Close, Kesgrave but moments later Mr Childs’ condition worsened and his heart stopped.

But thanks to the quick actions of East of England Ambulance Service paramedic Pete Sago and his colleague Paul Shannon shocking his heart back to life, the 71-year-old survived. And today he is set to be reunited with the pair.

“Without them I wouldn’t be here today,” said Mr Childs. “It happened the day after I got the all-clear for prostate cancer, I had been out to celebrate and woke with horrendous chest pain.

“I remember Pete getting here and then I was dead.

“They brought me back from the dead, they shocked my heart.

“I remember asking them in the ambulance on the way to Ipswich Hospital if it was a dream.” Mr Childs said he credits the paramedics with saving his life.

“That is why I wanted to be reunited with them both,” he added. “I was so impressed with their kindness, they were brilliant. Without question they deserve the praise.”

Mr Childs was treated at Ipswich Hospital before being transferred to Basildon for specialist heart care. The Evening Star’s Have a Heart campaign has raised �30,000 to provide non-emergency heart surgery in Ipswich.

n Have you got reason to thank the emergency services? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@evening star.co.uk