AN OFF-DUTY police officer has been hailed a hero after saving a man's life at a golf course in Wallingford.

Detective Sergeant Alex Willis was off duty on Thursday, May 9, at The Springs Spa Hotel & Golf Club, when he heard of a member of the public was in distress.

He was told someone was believed to be having a heart attack on the first tee.

The police officer ran to the patient who was unresponsive on a bench at the golf course and immediately started CPR.

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He noticed the man's face was rapidly losing colour and he wasn't able to breathe properly.

A staff member was quick to bring out the club defibrillator, which DS Willis attached to him while continuing CPR.

With the help of the defibrillator and the quick actions of DS Willis colour began to return to the patients face.

He continued CPR until an air ambulance and road ambulance arrived and took the man to hospital.

Oxford Mail:

The paramedic in attendance told DS Willis he had saved the man’s life and that he should be okay due to his speedy response.

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DS Willis also received a call from the man's wife the following, day who informed him that her husband was still in hospital but was awake and reading his newspaper.

She added that the doctor in the Intensive Care Unit told the man’s wife that, had it not been for the quick and good quality CPR conducted by DS Willis, the man would not have survived.

In one of hundreds of comments left on the Thames Valley Police Facebook page today, in response to a post about DS Willis, one woman said: "Incredible! What a hero."

Another added: "Well done to you for giving this man the gift of life against the odds. Truly something special."

More than 2,600 people had liked the post in the space of a few hours.