Hero keeper makes save of his life

Stocksbridge Park Steels keeper Ben Scott is being hailed a hero after saving the life of a fan who collapsed during his side's Evo-Stik Northern Premier League clash at King's Lynn Town on Saturday.

The 30-year-old, pictured, had just been handed a straight red card for a dangerous tackle towards the end of the 3-3 Premier Division draw when he produced the save of his life from the stands.

The King's Lynn Town supporter, a man in his 70s, had a suspected heart attack seconds earlier and Scott, a staff nurse at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, heard about the incident as he was walking off for an early shower.

Scott, who helped the St John's Ambulance team stabilise the man after using a defibrillator to restore his heart rhythm, said: "I started walking off the field, getting a nice bit of abuse as you do, when I noticed a young girl running past me. She said, 'a gentleman's died', so I followed her into the crowd and came across the gentleman on the floor. His heart was in an irregular rhythm and it was a fantastic bit of teamwork that gave that gentleman a fighting chance."

Modest Scott insisted the real heroes were the volunteer paramedics on duty. He added: "You've got to bear in mind that these guys [St John Ambulance] do it for free - they were fantastic. It does put things into perspective - you do realise that football is only a game."

The fan was later rushed by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and is now said to be back at home recovering.