Market staff save life of collapsed shopkeeper

A MARKET shopkeeper who stopped breathing for around three minutes after a heart attack has thanked the quick-thinking staff who saved her life.

- DANIEL HALL Reporter

From left, market inspector Lacey Embleton, June Jefferson and market staff Davey Rookes and Matty Watkins who worked to save June's life. She was back at work the next day

June Jefferson runs Dennis and June's Sandwich Fayre at the Grainger Market in Newcastle.

On September 4, she started to feel unwell. She said: "I was just standing; my neck went stiff and then my arms went like lead, and I said to the girl I am going to have to sit down.

"She can’t handle anything like that, so I quietly got up and went to the market office. Good job I did."

June walked the short distance across the aisle to the market inspector's office, complaining to inspector Lacey Embleton of a "crushing pain in the chest".

Lacey rang an ambulance, and asked her colleagues for help.

Lacey said: "Matty (Watkins) went to get a defibrillator and Davey (Rookes) came into the office while I was on the phone to the ambulance. June took some sprays and then had a seizure.

"She came back round but then stopped breathing. We put her on the floor and Davey started CPR.