Post by Gerrald Bostock on May 8, 2014 15:57:59 GMT
Concert-goer to the rescue as fan collapses at Ian Anderson gig at Colston Hall
By The Bristol Post
By Katie Pavid
A CONCERT-goer collapsed after a suspected heart attack in the middle of a gig at Colston Hall – and another member of the audience stepped in to help save his life.
As a show featuring Jethro Tull lead singer Ian Anderson was in full swing on Tuesday night, a 45-year-old fan collapsed in the audience and stopped breathing, ten minutes in to the performance.
A nearby member of the audience came to the rescue, performing emergency CPR for 20 minutes until paramedics arrived to help.
Unaware of the emergency, the band kept playing on stage, until they were told someone had been taken seriously ill.
Julie Hendry, who was at the concert, said: "We arrived slightly late so the lights were already up when we got there. The band hadn't been playing for very long at all. We could see CPR going on up on the balcony from an audience member. The person stepped in to help, and I think Colston Hall staff helped him too.
"They were working on him for 20 minutes. The paramedics turned up and took him to hospital.
"The band played on unaware while lights went up and CPR went on in the balcony. They didn't know what was happening until someone told them. After one number the music was stopped and the audience was asked to clear the auditorium.
"Then, after he was taken to hospital the concert resumed – the break was for about half an hour. The singer made an announcement when they started again and said a man had been taken seriously ill.
"He was very lucky there was someone nearby who knew how to do CPR. I think a lot of people are hoping he is OK in hospital – it is quite shocking to hear about because obviously you don't expect it.
"He was young to have something like this happen, so everybody is concerned about him."
A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service said: "On Tuesday evening we received a call at 7.36pm. A 45-year-old male collapsed and was not breathing, after suffering a possible cardiac arrest.
"CPR was performed at the scene, and he was taken to the Bristol Royal Infirmary. We have no update on his condition at the moment."
A Colston Hall spokesman said staff members trained in first aid also pitched in to help, and was hoping to contact the members of the public involved. He said: "Patrons and first aid trained staff members assisted with the resuscitation of the patient until paramedics arrived and took over. The house manager was in continuous contact with the ambulance service until they reached the scene.
"We are satisfied that Colston Hall's procedures to deal with medical emergencies such as these were followed properly.
"We have made contact with the hospital to check on the patient's condition, but understandably we have not been provided with any information due to patient confidentiality. We wish the patient a full and speedy recovery.
"Bristol Music Trust is very grateful to everyone who assisted last night and we will be attempting to contact them individually."
Band member Ryan O'Donnell tweeted yesterday: "We don't know if the poor chap is OK or not. He was breathing unaided when he left the building. Hope he's OK ".
Ian Anderson – who got an MBE in 2008 for services to music – is best known as lead vocalist and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.
Read more: www.bristolpost.co.uk/Concert-goer-rescue-fan-collapses-gig/story-21071788-detail/story.html#ixzz318kbA15r
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