It was just a normal day for Richard Gledhill until Brian Parker, 69, collapsed in a Lupset post office.

Luckily he had been on a first aid course two weeks before the emergency and knew exactly how to help Mr Parker.

Mr Gledhill, of Jenkin Road, Horbury, said: "One minute I was standing in the queue with my fiancee Victoria and then the next thing I knew this gentleman had fallen down and no-one knew what to do.

"Everyone was panicking so I said 'let me through, I'm a first aider' and started to perform the resuscitation skills I had learned on my course."

Everyone watched as Mr Gledhill desperately tried to revive Mr Parker with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and massaged his heart.

Mr Gledhill said: "He wasn't responding. He wasn't breathing and his heart had stopped."

An ambulance arrived just eight minutes later and took Mr Parker to Pinderfields Hospital.

His wife Pamela Parker, 66, of Thornes Moor Road, Wakefield, said: "It was really touch and go for a while – I just don't know how to thank them enough. We're so grateful for what they did because if they hadn't acted so quickly Brian might not be here today."

Unemployed Mr Gledhill, 25, learned his first aid skills on a government-funded training course run by Job Centre Plus.

After finding out Mr Parker had survived his heart attack, which happened on Monday, June 2, Mr Gledhill said: "I'm really, really happy to hear he's doing well. It makes me feel proud and I'm really pleased for him and his family."