A FOOTBALL coach who suffered a cardiac arrest while watching his team play has helped raise funds to buy a defibrillator for his club.

Jock Campbell was stood on the sideline as his team, Pickering Under 15s, played away to Elm Park in York, when he started feeling ill.

He said: "I felt my heart racing and turned to my friends and colleagues to say I didn't feel well. They thought I was joking and with that I collapsed on the floor and blacked out."

Jock, 46, who lives in Thornton-le-Dale, said the coach of the other team, Chris Corran, had carried out mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions.

"When I came round I had no idea what was happening to me and I was taken to York Hospital and then on to Leeds General for three weeks where they fitted me with a defibrillator," he said.

Jock said he had been born with a hole in the heart and underwent surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital when he was three months old.

"I was fitted with a pacemaker when I was 24 and now I have the defibrillator which gives me a shock if my heart starts to beat too fast to help normalise it. I also need to go for regular check-ups," he said.

Jock was working as an assistant cook at Ryedale School when he suffered the cardiac arrest in February 2016, but had to give up after also being diagnosed with depression.

"After that had happened I got myself into a really dark place and couldn't see anyway forward," he said.

"I missed a year of work through it, but have carried on with the football coaching to give me something to look forward to and get me out of the house."

Jock, who now helps run Ryedale Seniors who play in the first division of the Beckett League, said he wanted to help provide a defibrillator to help others. It will be placed at Ryedale Sports Club in Pickering, where Jock’s football clubs play.

"I was lucky that someone was there to save my life, so I put a call out to local businesses, who were willing to sponsor Ryedale Sports Club so we were able to raise the money needed to supply a defibrillator for the club and I was amazed at the response," he said.

"We now have the equipment which could save the life of anyone playing at the club, as well as all our supporters and for those teams that visit us.

"I would like to say a huge thank you to all the businesses who have supported this, including Something for the Weekend in Pickering and also to Chris who helped save my life and all my friends for being there and supporting me - you have all been amazing."