A PENSIONER has thanked passers-by who rushed to his aid after he fell over outside a shop when his heart stopped.

At the time, passers-by and staff at Oxford Vapours in Headington just assumed the 80-year-old man had tripped over the pavement.

It only transpired, when the man took himself to his local doctors surgery that something was wrong with his heart - and that it had actually stopped when he fell to the ground two weeks ago.

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Now, to say thanks to all of the 'kind and good samaritans' the man has penned a letter and tacked it to the inside window of the London Road shop.

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He wrote: "On Monday 11th March at exactly midday I collapsed, face down, with no warning at all, on the pavement here.

“A very kind couple came to my aid, propped me against the shop window and were joined by the ‘Vapours manager’ who produced lint and mopped the blood from my face."

Oxford Mail:

He added: “Having now been treated brilliantly by Bury Knowle Surgery and the cardio department at the JR I should have a pacemaker fitted soon.

“I know now that my heard had stopped not that I had any warning.

“I wish to thank all these kind souls who helped an 80 year old pensioner when he was flat on his face.

“Bless you all.”

Stephen Talbot, who is the manager at the east Oxford branch, explained that about five people rallied to the aid of the man.

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The 29-year-old explained: "It is just a little bit of a miracle really.

"We all thought he had just tripped over on the pavement outside."

He added: “To leave a letter, it was a nice touch.

“Lots of people have commented on it. I was hoping the couple who helped would walk past and see it.

“We will leave it up for a couple more weeks. It does make a change. He was so thankful for the help."