A man who made a rare recovery from a cardiac arrest visited staff at an ambulance station with his family to thank the staff who helped save his life.

Andreas Kallis, 68, collapsed in the sitting room of his Chingford home in February 2018, but survived thanks to the efforts of call handlers and ambulance staff.

He and his family recently visited Walthamstow Ambulance Station to meet the medics and the call handler who saved his life .

Mr Kallis said: “I must be really lucky to survive. If it wasn’t for the London Ambulance Service, my wife and daughter and I wouldn’t be here now. It was wonderful to be able to thank them all personally.”

His wife Tina, 63, recalled the moment her daughter Christina, 37, told her something was wrong.

“All of a sudden my daughter came to me and said 'Mum, I don’t know if dad's asleep or ignoring me'.”

After checking Mr Kallis's pulse they immediately called 999. The call was taken by emergency call co-ordinator Fran De Wet.

Fran directed them through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - the technique of keeping blood flowing by pumping on the victim's chest.

Tina said: “Fran told us precisely how to do CPR and the rhythm as well. I did so much better than I thought and that’s because of her help.”

An ambulance was swiftly dispatched and paramedic crew Esme Choonara and Amanda Gowing attended the scene.

They managed to get a pulse and rushed Andreas into Barts Heart Centre at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, where with the help of doctors and nurses has made a full recovery.

At an emotional reunion, Andreas and Tina were joined by Fran, Esme and Amanda.

Mr Kallis said: “I must be really lucky to survive. If it wasn’t for the London Ambulance Service, my wife and daughter and I wouldn’t be here now. It was wonderful to be able to thank them all personally.”

Call handler Fran De Wet said: “In over twelve years working for the Service I have taken several cardiac arrest calls. But I have only ever received three letters to tell me that those patients have returned to normal life and have walked out of hospital. So to actually meet Mr Kallis is truly amazing.

“The whole experience has been overwhelming – I promised I wouldn’t cry but I did.”

The family wants to raise awareness of the importance of the general public learning lifesaving skills such as CPR.

Tina said: “I had done a bit of CPR training years ago, but you never really think that something like this is going to happen to you.

“I just feel so good that I was able to help save him.”

Wife Tina said: “We are so grateful to all of the ambulance staff and everyone at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, the nurses the doctors and the police who also attended that day.

“It feels like it is the closure we needed. To thank them and to see them in lovely surroundings not in that traumatic, horrendous way.”