Hero volunteers today won praise from the wife of a Mersea man who fell unconscious while the only route from the mainland was blocked.

Saying thanks - Geoff Rowland, centre, was treated by Fred and Jean Freeman, of Mersea Community First Responder group.

Ambulance crews were left helpless when Jenny Rowland dialled 999 to report that her husband, Geoff, had collapsed with an attack of food poisoning and was being violently sick.

With the Strood covered by the rising tide, they were unable to cross, and called out the coastguard in the hope the couple's Fairhaven Avenue home could be reached by boat.

Meanwhile, Fred and Jean Freeman, two volunteer members of the island's Community First Responder group, had also been sent out.

Unaware that the ambulance was stranded on the wrong side of the water, they managed to successfully treat 51-year-old Mr Rowland on their own.

Mrs Rowland today paid tribute to the pair after the drama, which began at 12.10am on Tuesday.

She said: "They were so professional, friendly and reassuring. They assessed the situation and got Geoff on oxygen, which helped a lot."

Mr Rowland was eventually taken to Colchester General Hospital and released 12 hours later.

More in today's Evening Gazette

Published Thursday, January 13, 2005

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette