A PENSIONER brought back from the dead by a quick-thinking York ambulance crew was today hailed a "walking miracle".

North Yorkshire grandfather-of-four Eric Rowsby may have been dead for up to three minutes before he was resuscitated.

Eric collapsed after suffering a heart attack at his home in Welham Road, Norton - and medical crews feared he had drawn his last breath when they arrived at the scene.

Emergency technicians John Jankee and Stuart Wood, from York, resuscitated the 68-year-old for 35 minutes on the way to York Hospital before handing him over to medics.

"When we arrived at York Hospital the staff continued resuscitating for another five or ten minutes," said John. "Then a miracle happened and he came round - it was amazing."

News of the lifesaving drama came as Eric and wife, Carol, were reunited with his saviours for the first time today. "Words can't express our gratitude," said Carol. "Tears of joy that Eric is still here express it best."

Carol told how she alerted neighbours, Susan and Robert Smith, and rang 999 after discovering Eric slumped in a chair.

York-based control room assistant Wendy Tsang gave resuscitation advice by phone which Carol relayed to her friends and son-in-law John Preston who was luckily passing by.

Ambulance crews arrived moments later.

Technicians John and Stuart started chest compressions and used a defibrillator twice as Eric was not breathing. They then detected electrical activity in Eric's heart so used a manual pump to artificially inflate his lungs and he slowly started breathing again.

Eric, treasurer of the Ryedale branch of the Royal Air Force Association, said: "It's a real shock to go from being 99 per cent fit to not being able to do all the jobs you want to do.

"It makes you realise that you have to make the most of life while you can. I will always be indebted to the ambulance crew and hospital staff for saving my life."

Updated: 13:41 Friday, August 27, 2004