A man who suffered a cardiac arrest in the street has thanked the off-duty Countess of Chester nurse who helped save his life.

Mike Brereton, 61, suffered a severe heart attack in September that sent him into a cardiac arrest.

The retired Airbus manager, who typically walks around five miles every Saturday morning, collapsed on Tarporley High Street without warning, as passers-by and members of the community rushed to help.

Among them was Lauren Wall, 35, who works as a deputy ward manager on the Acute Medical Unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

She quickly realised Mike was not breathing and immediately took charge, performing CPR, managing his airway and coordinating lifesaving efforts until the arrival of paramedics.

Mike was then airlifted to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital where he underwent an emergency angioplasty and had a stent fitted.

Despite the severity of his cardiac arrest, Mike recovered and was discharged home within days.

"From the second I grabbed the wall and fell face-first to the ground, I don't remember anything for three hours," he said.

"I don't remember feeling unwell beforehand, just what felt like a bit of indigestion. I'm relatively fit, make sure I do my 10,000 steps a day and follow a good diet."

Lauren described the experience as "daunting", explaining it was her first time leading a cardiac arrest on her own.

"I see people from all walks of life every day and deal with cardiac arrests frequently," she said. "At work I'm usually surrounded by a team of professionals, whereas this was the first time I had to lead a cardiac arrest on my own without that support around me, so it was a little bit daunting.

"I think I started to feel emotional when I was checking Mike's wallet for signs of identification and I saw on his driving licence that his birth date was the same as my mum's.

"That's when the reality of the situation hit home."

Lauren was "amazed" to hear that Mike was discharged less than a week after the incident, saying it was "miraculous" for someone to "survive such a major out-of-hospital cardiac arrest".

She said: "I fully expected Mike not to make it or at least have suffered a brain injury so being able to see him fully recovered is just incredible."

Following his recovery, Mike wrote to the Countess of Chester Hospital to ensure Lauren received the recognition she deserved. The two were reunited in person less than eight weeks after she saved his life.

"I wanted her to be recognised for what she did for me that day," Mike said. "Everyone there played a part, but Lauren's professionalism, calmness and ability to take control in such a critical situation undoubtedly saved my life.

"I can't thank everyone enough for what they did for me that day."

After leaving hospital, Mike discovered the North West Air Ambulance Charity's 62-mile fundraising walk and immediately signed up, raising more than £7,000.

He also paid tribute to the "outstanding" cardiac rehab team at the Countess of Chester Hospital, who have been supporting him during his recovery.

Lauren hopes the story will encourage more people to learn lifesaving skills, as she said: "I wholeheartedly believe basic CPR skills should be part of the school curriculum. It could save so many lives.

"In an emergency, it's often the actions taken in those first few minutes that can make all the difference and give someone the best chance of survival.

"Seeing Mike doing so well and knowing he's been able to get back to his family is just wonderful."

You can donate to Mike's fundraising journey here.