A LIFESAVER who helped resuscitate his friend who was having a cardiac arrest has urged everyone to learn CPR.

Benjamin DeRoché-Pace, who owns PaceAutomotive Body Repairs in Hythe Hill, had finished a day of work at the garage last month when his friend Steven Bingle suffered a heart attack.

For years, Mr DeRoché-Pace’s cousin, who owns Colchester First Aid, had nagged him to learn CPR.

Naturally, he hoped he would never have to use the skills he earned when he finished his first aid course three years ago.

But when his colleague suffered a heart attack at the end of a seemingly normal Tuesday afternoon last month, Mr DeRoché-Pace could remember what to do as clear as day.

Gazette: Scary – Benjamin DeRoché-Pace had finished a day's work when Mr Bingle suddenly had a heart attackScary – Benjamin DeRoché-Pace had finished a day's work when Mr Bingle suddenly had a heart attack (Image: Google Street View)

He said: “My cousin was on at me for ages telling me how important it was to have first aid – I had never done it but I thought at some point it may be useful.

“I am a father as well with two boys – if the worst was to happen and I didn’t know what to do, that would be bad.

“After [saving Steve] the other day, I see how vital it is to have first aid – had I not had that it, Steve would not have been about celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary, and his grandkids wouldn’t have their granddad for Christmas.

“First aid should be on the curriculum, to be honest.”

Mr DeRoché-Pace, 45, admitted he was not as calm as he looked he carried out the lifesaving CPR.

He said: “It all happened so fast – one moment we had a handover for a vehicle and I said ‘well done for today mate’.

“I high-fived him, and I turned around to walk out of the unit.

“He swore, his eyes rolled up and he bounced off the bonnet of a car.

“He was on the floor and he turned grey and his veins were flat – that’s when I realised there was a big problem.

“There was no blood pressure and it made me panic.

Gazette: Impressed – Benjamin DeRoché-Pace praised the speed at which paramedics made it to Hythe Hill after a 999 callImpressed – Benjamin DeRoché-Pace praised the speed at which paramedics made it to Hythe Hill after a 999 call (Image: Newsquest)

“All I thought about was blowing air into him and pumping his chest.

“I’ll be honest, it wasn’t that hard.”

Mr Bingle was then rushed to hospital where he made a recovery.

Mr DeRoché-Pace joked: “I saw Steve in the hospital and I knew he was going to be OK because he was moaning and whingeing, as he always does.

“When he came down here to the garage, it was emotional for me.”