"My dad had a cardiac arrest watching Owls game on TV – knowing CPR saved his life”

Dennis Morton and Ellie Starks are life-long Owls fans and were at home watching a game when Dennis collapsed.

Ellie, aged 28, a palliative care nurse from Worksop, said: “Looking back now, I don’t know how I managed to stay so calm. I knew dad had suffered a cardiac arrest from my medical training as he felt clammy and I couldn’t feel a pulse.

“I’d just got home from work- normally we’d watch the game in person as we are season ticket holders. The second half had just kicked off and dad collapsed in his chair. I looked over and he wasn’t responding.

“I dragged him onto the floor, shouted to my mum to ring 999 and started chest compressions. My CPR training immediately kicked in and I just kept going with the compressions until help arrived.”

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According to the British Heart Foundation around 80 per cent of out of hospital cardiac arrests happen in the home.

Sky Bet and British Heart Foundation are calling on Sheffield Wednesday supporters to learn CPR in their Every Minute Matters campaign.

Fan research from Sky Bet showed that while almost half of fans have been in a situation where somebody needed CPR, 45 per cent lack the confidence to perform it.

British Heart Foundation have an online tool called RevivR which teaches people how to perform CPR in 15 minutes.

The campaign has already inspired more than 146,000 people to start learning CPR since the campaign launched eight months ago

Ellie said: “It’s so important to learn CPR because most of the time it’s going to be friends and family who are there. Most cardiac arrests happen in your house so you’re going to be the only one that’s there to save them.”

Following his cardiac arrest Dennis was in hospital for 25 days. Ellie was due to get married two weeks later but rearranged her special day to make sure her dad was there to walk her down the aisle.

She married her husband, Jake, in October 2023.

Dennis, 71, said: “Walking Ellie down the aisle was very emotional. That happy day really brought home to me just how lucky I’d been.

“Ellie means everything to me and I’ll never forget what she did to save my life. I simply wouldn’t be here without CPR. It’s why I want to play my part in raising awareness of this vital campaign and I’d encourage all Wednesday fans to spare just 15 minutes to learn lifesaving CPR.”

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at British Heart Foundation, said: “CPR can really be the difference between life and death. That’s why this season we’re urging everyone to take 15 minutes – the length of the half-time interval – to learn CPR via our free online tool RevivR during this year’s Sky Bet EFL Play-Offs.”

Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan said: “I think CPR is a powerful tool to have. It could be your kids, your mum or dad and it only takes 15 minutes to learn how to save their lives.

“It’s something you can do when you have a bit of spare time over Christmas. Hopefully you’ll never have to use it but you’ll know it just in case.”

To learn CPR in just 15 minutes, visit bhf.org.uk/revivr