A WHARFEDALE councillor has met two of the people who helped save his life after he suffered a near-fatal heart attack three months ago.

Keen fundraiser Ryk Downes (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) collapsed near the Shell petrol station at Pool-in-Wharfedale, near his home, while running on January 22.

The 51-year-old needed prolonged CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) from passersby and shocks from a community defibrillator to be revived before being airlifted to hospital.

He underwent a triple heart bypass at Leeds General Infirmary shortly afterwards and is now – after being given a clean bill of health by his doctors – ready to take up his political duties again.

And last weekend, he met up with two of the many people who were on hand to help save his life back in January.

Kay Hargreaves had stopped her car to rush to his assistance and started performing CPR when she realised he had stopped breathing.

She was helped by passing cyclist Ben Connor, a Leeds University student and first aider from Burley-in-Wharfedale, along with two contractors from a nearby site.

Skip driver Dario Claydon, meanwhile, who has been trained in using a defibrillator, took over shocking the councillor's heart back into action using equipment based at Pool General Stores and Post Office.

Cllr Downes said: "I was so lucky that these amazing people were on hand when I needed them and they were able to do exactly what was necessary to bring me back to life.

"I will always be thankful to them for their brave actions on that day.

"Now, I am ready to get back to work and will be assuming full duties on May 1."

It took 20 minutes to get Cllr Downes' heart working again, after which he was taken by Yorkshire Air Ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary, where he was initially given a less than ten per cent chance of surviving.

Fellow Liberal Democrat councillor for Otley and Yeadon, Sandy Lay, is keen to publicise the locations of local defibrillators so others can help in future emergencies.

Posting online earlier this year, he said: “Just thought I’d share this information and map outlining where the AED (Automated External Defibrillators) are in the area, bearing in mind what has happened to Cllr Ryk Downes.”

He added: “Many thanks to [town councillor] Peter Jackson, Brian Firth, Otley Lions and the many businesses and schools for providing the equipment that ensures that should the worst happen, you have a better chance of survival.”

A map of where to find the defibrillators is at the zeemaps.com/map?group=1822204# link.

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