A MAN is alive today thanks to the quick thinking of a group of firefighters.

The Southend crews sprung into action when a man collapsed outside the fire station on Christmas morning. 

The 53-year-old was on the way to the crematorium with flowers for a family member when he suffered a cardiac arrest in Sutton Road, Southend at 8.30am.

The crews saw the man and quickly sprung into action and brought the man into the fire station.

The collaborative efforts of Red and White watch gave him first aid and brought him back to life with their first aid skills.

Firefighters Giles Stephenson and Frank Parkinson administered CPR while waiting for medical teams to arrive and the man actually stopped breathing for a while. Ambulance Service paramedics later took over.

The man was conveyed to hospital and this evening and is in intensive care at Southend Hospital.

Station Officer Al Green said crews were delighted to report the man went to hospital alive.

He said: "The casualty was in a poorly way this morning, so we checked on his condition when we came back on shift this evening and were pleased to hear he's okay.

"That was a bit of good news at Christmas for the crews that worked so hard to save him and it's good to know our efforts were successful."