Pharmacist Faisal Saddique knew something was up the moment the 30-something man walked into the pharmacy at Asda Shipley Superstore, West Yorkshire. 

“He didn't look well, he looked like he was going to pass out," Saddique told C+D. “I went over to him as I was concerned.  

“I spoke to him, but he wasn't responsive. His breathing was very heavy, so I decided to call 999.” 

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As he did so, the man’s condition worsened, and he lay down on the floor of the pharmacy. 

“I couldn't see if his chest wasn't going up and down,” said Saddique. “I passed the phone to someone else and made the instinctive decision to start CPR.” 

Support 

Meanwhile, one of the store’s home and leisure staff members Ben Fawcett, who had just been trained in first aid, was called to the pharmacy for help. 

"I was dealing with another customer who'd cut her ankle,” the 24-year-old said. “Then one of my managers called to say they desperately needed a first aider in the pharmacy as a customer had collapsed and had stopped breathing. 

"I dropped what I was doing, let the patient know that I had to leave – which she was totally fine with – and ran over to the pharmacy.” 

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Pharmacist Saddique said while he was doing compressions, the man started to come around and his eyes opened briefly, before closing again. 

Then Fawcett arrived and they took turns to do CPR. Fawcett said he “didn't think about it, I just got on with it”. 

"I did CPR on the gentleman for about three to four minutes. The only thing going on in my mind was saving this man's life. 

"I was thinking about using the defibrillator but decided to do another round of CPR and luckily, he came to. It was such a relief when he started to breathe on his own." 

Relief 

A GP who was also in the store also entered the pharmacy to support before an ambulance arrived and took the man to hospital. 

The man has returned to the store to say thank you but told Saddique he has no recollection of the incident. 

Fawcett said it was all “a bit daunting” as he had “only just finished the first aid course”.  

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“The CPR training was still very fresh in my mind – I just didn't think I'd be using it so soon.” 

Saddique said it was also the “first time I'd carried out CPR on an actual person, rather than a dummy”. 

“It was such a relief when he came round as I was scared for him. It was scary and nerve wracking, but I felt content and happy that I'd helped someone." 

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The Asda store’s community staff member Mandy Godfrey hailed the pair as “true life savers”. 

"It was a scary moment for them both, but they did so well,” she said.  

“If it wasn't for them keeping him alive until the ambulance arrived, the gentleman would not be with us now, so a big well done to them both.”