Devon dad John 'Peps' Peplow owes his life to his best mate — and a pair of flip flops — after a weekend break almost ended in tragedy.
Rich Jago, John's friend for the past 30 years, went into action after John collapsed with a heart attack on a remote beach.
The drama ended with Rich setting fire to his flip flops to attract the attention of a rescue helicopter hovering overhead.
John was eventually taken to hospital after he was virtually 'dead on the beach'.
The life-long buddies had decided to visit Rock, across the River Camel from Padstow in Cornwall, on Friday, August 1, for the weekend.
The break had barely started when John, 51, who works as a painter for Julian Blewitt, suffered the heart attack.
John, who was a daughter and a son, said: "If it was not for my mate I would be dead. He saved my life."
He explained: "We had decided get out of Brixham for the weekend and went down to Cornwall to chill out. We had put the tents up and had gone down to the beach after 1pm.
"I had started to roll a cigarette, but said to Rich, 'can you roll this for me as I can't', and then felt pains in my chest.
"The next thing I know, I have passed out on the floor and am having a heart attack.
"Rich was pumping my heart and kept me awake. Luckily he had his phone with him and managed to get a reception and called the ambulance. I was kind of dead on the beach."
Rich, 45, who works for Brixham Trawler Agents, said he was terrified during his attempt to save his friend.
He said: "The last time I did any first aid was when I was in the Boys Brigade. I called for an ambulance but we were three fields over so told them we needed the air ambulance.
"I was waving frantically to them to attract their attention as they flew over twice. I threw my flip flops into a fire to create some smoke to attract their attention.
"The air ambulance was unable to land though so they had to call for the Sea King helicopter to come. It landed and then stabilised John. They appeared to give him an aspirin and that seemed to bring him around."
An ambulance spokesman confirmed they received a call at 2.04pm reporting a male suffering chest pains. The air ambulance was dispatched but was unable to land so a Sea King helicopter was called. It landed and took John to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
John was released from hospital and returned home on Wednesday.
He said: "I was practically dead. I would like to thank everyone who helped save my life. Rich, the Sea King helicopter, the air ambulance, and the staff at Royal Cornwall Hospital, who were all brilliant.
"I will be on tablets for the rest of my life, but I thought I was gone."
The weekend for Rich didn't get much better when his car broke down on the way to visit John in hospital!
