A football fan’s life was saved thanks to the quick intervention of club stewards and medical staff at the Amex.

Bob Whetton suffered a cardiac arrest outside the stadium in Brighton as he made his way to the Brighton vs Nottingham Forest match on Tuesday.

Mr Whetton fell as he made his way from the station to the away end just after kick-off.

Stewards reacted within seconds and medical staff with a defibrillator were with him in just over 90 seconds, and their work, assisted by paramedics, helped resuscitate the 73-year-old, who is set to make a full recovery.

“I’m so grateful for the intervention of Brighton and everyone who helped, from club stewards, St John Ambulance, the paramedics, the crowd doctor, the NHS from the Royal Sussex County Hospital A&E and cardiology teams,” he said.

“I’m still under the care of the cardiology team but if I hadn’t had that support I wouldn’t be here to give this story.”

Mr Whetton, who is a Nottingham Forest supporter, is the seventh person in the last decade to have his life saved by the work of the club's staff and medical partners.

Albion’s head of safety and security Adrian Morris said: “I am so proud of the staff and our medical partners. There is no doubt that their swift actions and instinctive response saved Bob's life.

“We have spent a number of years working with our staff, and training for these types of situations and while it is a traumatic experience for the patient and family and friends, it’s immensely pleasing to see the result.

"That calm and measured approach from all concerned meant Bob went from being in a life-threatening situation to a stable one, comfortable in an ambulance and transferred to the Royal Sussex County Hospital before the half-time whistle blew.”

St John Ambulance’s Trevor Moss said: “The information we were passed back by stewards, first on the scene, was incredibly helpful, as this meant the volunteers were able to assess the situation and prepare as they made their way there. Those seconds may seem like nothing, but they are vital in a situation like this.

"On arrival of the first aid team – within 90 seconds of the call – I was notified that Bob was in cardiac arrest and CPR was being carried out together with the defibrillator being applied.

“After one shock Bob regained consciousness. He was then transported to hospital by the South East Coast Ambulance Service, and was sitting up and talking.”

Club crowd doctor Professor Rob Galloway has encouraged people to take CPR training to potentially save a life.

"Tragically, CPR isn't even started in about half of cardiac arrests,” he said.

“Even for those patients that ambulance teams arrive in time to start CPR, only nine per cent survive.

“A huge factor in Bob's survival, and the other six patients who survived, was the quality of the AED defibrillators the club has invested in, these are far more sophisticated and allow shocks to be given straight after the last compression.”