Undertaker David Cogan suffers heart attack pulling body from Welton Waters

POLICE officers have been praised for saving the life of an undertaker who suffered a massive heart attack while recovering a body.

David Cogan was given CPR by police for an hour after he collapsed while recovering the body from Welton Waters.

Eight officers from Humberside Police took turns to give Mr Cogan CPR before the RAF Sea King helicopter flew him to Hull Royal Infirmary.

Mr Cogan, 51, has since been transferred to Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, where he is due to undergo a triple-heart bypass on Tuesday.

His wife Lyn, 55, said: "David wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the police. We both owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

"It has touched both of us because he wouldn't have survived it they hadn't been there.

"The doctors have told us that if he had been at home when this happened, there would have been a very different outcome.

"David wants to meet them all as soon as possible to thank them personally."

Mr Cogan, of North Ferriby, had been called to Welton Waters on New Year's Day after the body of a missing Leicestershire man was found on the riverbank.

Paramedic John Dunwell and eight police officers who had been recovering the body began administering CPR to Mr Cogan, who had no pulse.

The helicopter was rushed from RAF Leconfield to take Mr Cogan to hospital.

His pulse returned during the seven-minute flight to Hull Royal Infirmary.

A crash team was waiting for Mr Cogan at the hospital, where he was given lifesaving treatment.

Humberside Police Inspector Phil North, who was at the scene, visited Mr Cogan in hospital four days later.

He said: "Seeing Mr Cogan sitting in his hospital bed alive and well will be something I and all of the other officers who helped keep him alive will never forget.

"What my team and I experienced that night will stay with us for a very long time.

"I am delighted Mr Cogan is making a steady recovery."

The work of the officers has been praised by Chief Superintendent Richard Kerman, divisional commander for the East Riding.

He said: "I am very proud of the police officers and paramedic who attended this incident for their prompt response when Mr Cogan collapsed.

"All of our police officers receive regular first-aid training and their actions in this case helped to save a life."

RAF winchman and medic Sergeant Matt Fowler said: "The police recovery team on-scene had some very highly-trained medics.

"The care the casualty received from them and the ambulance paramedic made all the difference.

"The ambulance paramedic did a superb job of managing the care and specialist treatment before we arrived and also throughout the short transit flight to Hull Royal Infirmary.

"This was a textbook operation."

The body was later identified as Richard Hawes, 33, of Leicestershire, who was reported missing in November last year.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.