A GRATEFUL dad today said a huge "thank you" to the paramedics and medical staff who saved his life when he stopped breathing at his Southampton home.

Retired carpenter and joiner Richard Densham, 57, is lucky to be alive this Christmas after collapsing in the summer.

Today, the father-of-three of Cromarty Road, Lordshill, said: "Everyone was brilliant, but I was unconscious at the time and didn't get a chance to thank anyone.

"The doctors have told me I am lucky to still be here, so I am extremely grateful to everyone involved."

Mr Densham, who lives with wife Gillian, turned to the Daily Echo to thank the ambulance staff and doctors and nurses at Southampton General Hospital who saved his life.

An emphysema sufferer, he became extremely breathless one evening in August and realised he needed help urgently.

His wife said she would drive him to the hospital, but he asked her to get an ambulance. Five minutes later, he was unconscious.

A rapid response doctor soon arrived on the scene, along with two paramedics.

Two of them worked on Mr Densham while the third rushed them to hospital, where emergency department staff spent three hours battling to keep him alive.

With too much carbon dioxide in his blood, his vital organs almost stopped working completely.

Eventually, Mr Densham was moved to a ward and, after about ten days in hospital, was allowed home.

"Even when I was home, nurses from the hospital's respiratory centre came round every other day to check on me," he said.

"They gave me a pager number to call if I had any problems. It really is a wonderful service. It takes the weight off your mind."

Mr Densham said although he still had health problems, he would always be grateful to medical staff for saving his life.