Cold canal water saved his life

A MAN jogging along a canal towpath, suffered a cardiac arrest and went straight into the water, but its chill saved him.

Steve Martin was running along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal towpath when he suffered a cardiac arrest and fell into the water and was submerged for 34 minutes but the very cold water saved him, Alan Tilbury reports.

Floating face down

He was seen face down floating in the canal when someone saw him and called the emergency services, who pulled him out.

He was resuscitated and quickly taken to hospital and intensive care and doctors expected the worst when it was discovered his body temperature had plummeted to 26C, down from 37C.

Preserved his organs

But the freezing water saved his life because it temporarily preserved his organs and stopped his body from shutting down,

He has now recovered, but after suffering the cardiac arrest his running days are curtailed.