TWO workers from Abergavenny Leisure Centre saved the life of a pensioner yesterday when he suffered a heart attack and stopped breathing.

Retired BT engineer, Maurice Jones, who is in his seventies, was visiting the leisure centre for his usual early morning swim.

But on his way out of the leisure centre he collapsed.

Fitness Consultant, Toni Nurse was working an early shift at the time along with duty manager Geraint House. Mr House was alerted by councillor Brian Hood that a man had collapsed on the floor. He said: "Maurice stopped breathing quite soon and I had to perform CPR.

"Toni and councillor Hood helped until the ambulance came I just hope Maurice will make it through. What I did was part of my job, I want to thank Natalie Parfitt and Ben Thorpe from the centre for their help and support."

Ms Nurse was alerted by the cleaner and ran out to help her colleague Mr House. She said: "I could see the man had a little cut on his head and was in the recovery position so I talked to him, tried to keep him calm and stroked his head.

"I realised he must have been cold on the floor and rushed back inside to get a foil blanket. When I came back he stopped breathing and Geraint gave him CPR.

"It was really frightening but we got on with helping him, it's part of our job. The ambulance cam within minutes and the paramedics were fantastic." Councillor Brian Hood was first on the scene and called the ambulance, he said: "I had been to the gym and Maurice had been for an early morning swim.

"I was walking out of the leisure centre when I heard a bang behind me and found he had collapsed just outside the door.

"I think I heard his head hit the floor. I called the member of staff and another member came down to join him. They worked like hell on Maurice and got him breathing again.

"The staff were absolutely brilliant and I think they saved his life."