‘We got very lucky on that day’

Darren Ripley was seconds away from leaving Birstall Victoria Rugby Club’s White Lee ground last May when club stalwart Ian Hemingway collapsed.

Mr Ripley, a clinical support worker at Leeds General Infirmary, performed life-saving CPR on Mr Hemingway until paramedics arrived.

The committee member made a full recovery after ambulance staff used a defibrillator to revive him.

The rugby club held a variety of fundraisers to buy their own device, which is available for every home match.

Chairman Garry Beevers said: “We got very lucky on that day and thankfully Ian was okay.

“It is left by the field during game times and is there if needed. But hopefully we will never have to use it.”

Ex-Featherstone Rovers player Antony Tonks and staff from the Heartbeat of Sport charity visited the club to demonstrate how to use the