A man who took 40 minutes to come round from a cardiac arrest at a football match in St Albans "stood up from a tackle before collapsing", according to an eye witness.

The individual had seemed fine and completed most of the match at Oaklands College on Monday night (February 5), before collapsing.

A club medic had started CPR and put a defibrillator in place before police officers arrived at the scene.

Members of the public, along with PCs Ellie Jackson and Katy Porter, and student officer PC Jodie Campbell, used the defibrillator before the man came round multiple shocks later.

He was then taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage by paramedics.

An eye witness, who had taken part in the match, told The Herts Advertiser: "As I watched it, another team who were there but not playing them directly, it was one of their guys who went over and was doing the CPR, almost on his own.

"It was that guy, and some of the players got the defibrillator.

"I spoke to one of the referees, just asking him what had happened, and he said that he had been shocked six times (by the defibrillator)."

Speaking of the impact that the incident had on the rest of the team, the eye witness continued: "I think everyone was in a bit of disbelief.

"You just don't expect that to happen to someone of that age really, and it just came out of absolutely nowhere.

"As the game started, he had seemed totally fine. I think he got tackled but then got up, and then just collapsed.

"I thought he'd fainted initially, but then as soon as I saw them do the CPR I thought 'OK, obviously this is a lot more serious than just passing out'.

"It's life threatening at that point."

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A spokesperson for Hertfordshire police added: "Saving someone’s life is an incredible achievement. 

"It was down to fantastic members of the public, who initially responded, as well as the police officers - a real team effort.

"We have details of those involved and we will be formally recognising them for their actions."