GLOUCESTERSHIRE Police officers have been praised by ambulance crews for their 'excellent' first aid performance, which saved the life of a man who had collapsed.

Pc Andy Wood was on patrol in Springbank Road, Cheltenham, when he saw an elderly man slumped over in his mobility scooter.

While a member of the public phoned for an ambulance, Pc Wood, noticing the man was barely breathing, lifted him from the vehicle and laid him on the ground in the recovery position.

He called for colleague Pc Austin Myrie to attend the scene with a defibrillator, then finding that the patient had stopped breathing, began CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

"Pc Myrie placed a breathing tube in the man's mouth and gave breaths whilst I did CPR until the ambulance arrived some five minutes later," he said.

Sarah Owston, from South Western Ambulance Service, said: "The crews wanted to pass on their thanks and commendation. The officers carried out excellent CPR and no doubt kept this patient alive until they arrived and were able to take over."

Inspector Kevin Roseblade, head of Tri Force Collision Investigation, said: "Although all Police officers are trained to deal with incidents such as this, it is a different matter when they are confronted with real life events.

"Their training, calm approach and professional behaviour has resulted in them saving this man's life. I am immensely proud of the two officers and hope the gentleman concerned recovers soon."