The family of a man whose heart stopped beating for eight minutes after he collapsed at a spinning class have praised the doctor, nurse and air ambulance team who saved his life.

Brian O’Donoghue was half way through a spin class at the Wycombe Rye Lido in High Wycombe on Saturday, February 10, when he suffered a heart attack.

The 60-year-old’s family say his heart stopped beating for eight minutes and he was resuscitated by a doctor and nurse who were already at the gym enjoying a swim at the time.

The Thames Valley Air Ambulance, South Central Ambulance Service and Thames Valley Police were all called to the scene after receiving reports that a man had suffered a medical emergency at around 9.55am.

Mr O’Donoghue was rushed to Harefield Hospital for major heart surgery, which was a success.

His daughter Sophie told the Bucks Free Press that her father still has a “long road to recovery” but praised the air ambulance first responders, who “without a doubt saved his life”.

She said: “My cousin is running a half marathon on Sunday to raise money for Thames Valley Air Ambulance. Our family is extremely thankful for everything the Thames Valley Air Ambulance team did to save my dad’s life.

“Any money we can raise to say thank you would mean the world to us as a family and my dad as he starts on his journey to recovery.”

Sophie’s cousin Larne O’Donoghue has set up a fundraising page to raise vital cash for the air ambulance and has so far raised more than £1,100 ahead of his first half marathon run at the weekend.

He wrote: “I am running the Kingston Half Marathon for Thames Valley Air Ambulance because they saved my uncle's life. He would not be with us today if it were not for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Harefield Hospital and the team at Wycombe Rye Lido Gym.

“Please donate, if only to show your support for the NHS.”

To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/larne.