Heart attack victim had life saved on St Helens Linkway

Paula Smith from Parr was driving to St Helens town centre to drop off her grandson Scotty on Saturday, June 10, when she suffered a heart attack on Linkway West close to the St Helens Hotel.

She managed to put her hazard lights on and stop the car before she slumped onto the steering wheel, leaving the 57-year-old and little Scotty in a scary situation.

Paula, centre with her children and grandchilden. From left: Lola, Scott, Katie, then Paula with Scotty, Abbie and Lottie (Image: Scott Conroy)

'I pulled over and ran to her'

Fortunately, dad-of-five Paul Leyland from Eccleston was driving by and saw Paula slumped in the car and despite other motorists carrying on, he pulled over on the grass verge and ran to her aid.

Paul, 47, said: “I just dropped my daughter off in Cheadle so was driving back and it was 10.15am and saw this car in the middle of the Linkway with hazards on and as I drove past, I saw this woman slumped on the steering wheel with a little one in the back.

“I couldn’t believe everyone else kept driving so I pulled over and ran to her and another bloke stopped just after me and came with me.

“When we got there, we saw her she was in and out of consciousness but unable to speak, the little lad was upset, and she was struggling to gesture towards her pocket.

“I put my hand in her pocket and pulled out GTN spray which I know is a spray people with heart issues have because I had a heart attack, so I sprayed that under her tongue and reassured her and told the other man that she has likely had a heart attack and to call for an ambulance.

Paul Leyland (Image: Paul Leyland)

“Then an off-duty police officer joined us and kind of took over, so I then tried to redirect traffic a bit.

“I was dead worried honestly, I put it online to try and find out how the woman was as once paramedics and police got there, I had to leave.”

'Because of him - we still have mum'

Scott Conroy, Paula’s son, 31, said: “I got this call from a police officer to say mum had had a heart attack and she was actually going to drop my son off to me in town, so I was in town and walked over to get him.

“I told my sister who works in Whiston, but it turns out mum got taken to Broad Green and straight into surgery as she had had a mild heart attack and they put two stents put in.

“She has been in recovery and is now out of hospital recovering at home, but the paramedics said that without Paul mum would have died.

“Loads of people just drove past, but Paul didn’t. Because of him we still have mum, she’s around for her grandkids and that’s because of him. We can never explain to him how thankful we are.

“My mum said she would like to thank Paul, the off-duty police man and all the amazing staff at Broad Green hospital as well.”

On informing Paul what Scott said and how his actions saved Paula’s life, he added: “Oh wow, I didn’t realise it made such a difference, I’m so glad it’s had a good result, but I just couldn’t have left her.

“I got home actually, and my wife asked me if I was ok, and I said, actually I think I just did a good thing and helped someone, and I’m made up that I was right and I did help her.

“I’m horrified how most other people drove by but I’m so thankful she’s going to be ok, just goes to show you if you catch things early what a difference it can make.”