Family's quick thinking saves life of dad, 79

DAUGHTER WANTS PUBLIC TO BE MORE AWARE OF STROKE SYMPTOMS

- By JOHN ROGAN

A TEESSIDE NHS worker is urging people to be aware of a condition that can cause severe brain damage if not treated within four and a half hours after her dad was on the cusp of losing his life.

Claire Lambert, who works as a clerical officer at University Hospitals Tees, received a very distressing call on September 29 from her mum Maureen after her dad, Thomas Lambert, collapsed at his local bus stop in the early morning.

Thomas, 79, was quickly helped by locals and managed to reach home but went straight home to sleep - thinking his morning dizziness was just a sign of being tired.

After her mum's call, Claire and her brother Neil Lambert quickly rushed to her dad’s home in Billingham and when she entered, she found her dad fast asleep.

When Claire asked her dad what happened, Thomas described the entire episode as a ‘funny spell’ and told everyone that he would get better if he just slept again.

But Claire spotted that her dad’s hand was scrunched, which meant the hand had become stiff and resisted stretching.

Thanks to her years of experience in the NHS, Claire instantly knew something was wrong and called NHS 111 for medical advice at 12.44pm, who sent an ambulance to their house.