Pensioner dies at gym

6:00am Saturday 23rd December 2006

A pensioner died after suffering a heart attack while exercising on a rowing machine at her gym.

The 65-year-old woman collapsed on Wednesday at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre in Romany Road, Worthing.

Staff rushed to her aid and performed CPR until paramedics arrived but she died later at Worthing Hospital.

Leisure centre manager David Child said: "It was a very sad incident and our thoughts are with her family."

The woman's husband is also a member at the gym.

Mr Child said: "Two of our staff performed CPR for three or four minutes until the ambulance arrived. It did not take long because the ambulance station is very near here. They are trained first aiders and did everything right but they just couldn't help her."

Other gym users were cleared from the room to allow paramedics to treat the woman.

Mr Child said she had been a member of the gym since it opened two years ago and was a regular user of the facilities.

He said it was the first time anyone had collapsed at the centre.

Mr Child said: "It was a shocking incident for all of us, especially the staff members who went to help her."

Staff have been offered support if it is needed.

Mr Child said the first aiders had followed the emergency procedures to the letter.

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