An off-duty Brent Police officer has been praised for saving a man’s life after he suffered a heart attack in the street.

Detective Sergeant Christopher Gadd, a crime advisor at Wembley Police Station, carried out vital CPR on the man in his 50s after he collapsed outside Great Missenden Railway station in Buckinghamshire, last week.

Det Sgt Gadd, who lives in Buckinghamshire, swung into action after he noticed a large crowd gathering outside a bus stop where the man was lying unconscious.

After moving the man into the recovery position he carried out chest compressions, to keep the blood and oxygen circulating in the body, and kept going until paramedics arrived at the scene.

Medics then used a defibrillator, which shocks the heart into beating again, while Det Sgt Gadd continued with the compressions until a pulse was found and the man started breathing again.

Medics and hospital staff say without Det Sgt Dadd’s actions the man would have died.

The modest camera-shy officer, said: “I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to Hannah, Sergio and Simon from the Stoke Mandeville Ambulance Station. They are the real heroes.

“I am so pleased that the man is expected to make a full recovery.”

Detective Superintendent Tariq Sarwar, from Brent Police, added: “This type of incident demonstrates the diverse nature of policing and the bravery and professionalism of police officers on and off duty.

“I am very proud and delighted that this incident had happy ending with the patient making a full recovery.”

Great Missenden is best known as the home of the late children’s author Roald Dahl.