Factory worker John Symes was brought back to life by workmates when his heart stopped.

The 62-year-old wasn't breathing and had no signs of a pulse when he was found lying on the storeroom floor of Coleford' s SPP Pumps.

But quick-thinking first aiders Graham Bennetto and Andy Clark battled to bring him back to life.

Wife Jackie turned up as John was being airlifted to hospital in Bristol where it was touch and go for a while.

But after two operations the factory worker returned to SPP Pumps in Coleford to say a big thank you to his workmates.

And he praised bosses for being one of the few private companies to have a defibrillator on the premises.

Doctors have told him that without the machine and colleagues who knew how to use it, he probably would not be alive today.

"When you talk to the doctors you realise most people who have what I had don't make it," said John.

"This is quite a close-knit place to work and I was just very, very fortunate to have such good workmates and a defibrillator machine on site.

"I have thanked Graham and Andy but I also want to thank the company for making it possible for people to save me because of what they had in place at the factory.

"I like to be positive so I don't want to think what would have happened otherwise."

Normally fit and healthy John, who cycles to work and back every day, cannot remember collapsing on the storeroom floor.

Andy, 24, from The Pludds, started traditional first-aid but was struggling when Graham, 51, turned up with the defib machine.

"We did not have time to hang about so we just shocked him and performed three or four lots of CPR," said Andy, who suffered sleepless nights afterwards.

"We had to shock him a second time and perform more CPR before he started to come back to life."

Andy and Graham are to receive a Chief Officer's Commendation from the Great Western Ambulance Service for their 'exemplary' actions.

Mr Bennetto, a retained firefighter at Coleford, is backing a campaign by the ambulance service to have the £1,000 defib machines placed in workplaces across the Forest.

"I think all firms should have at least one of these machines because without the defibrillator it would have been a very different story," he said.

John, from Broadwell, had two operations to correct faulty electrical impulses in his heart and fit a cardioverter to stop it ever happening again.

Operations director Terry Newby said he was extremely proud of his whole workforce of 170 who came together to ensure John got all the help he needed.