A DOCTOR today spoke of the moment he helped save a rival fan's life on the way to the Cup Final and said: "It was the best result of the day!"

Lifelong Blackburn Rovers fan Dr Jonathan Dewhurst dashed to the aid of a Spurs supporter who was suffering a heart attack on a train at Bristol's Parkway Railway Station.

Today his proud father, Darwen solicitor John Dewhurst, said: "Bill Shankly once said that football was not a matter of life or death, it was more important than that, but I think there were a few people on that train that would disagree."

The medical drama unfolded as Dr Dewhurst and his dad tried to board a train carrying Tottenham fans to the Worthington Cup Final on Sunday morning.

The 24 year-old doctor, who qualified last year, told how the years of training paid dividends as he went onto "automatic pilot" to help his distressed patient.

"As soon as I saw him I realised that he was having a heart attack, he was distressed and clutching his chest," said Dr Dewhurst.

"I have been involved in resuscitation on the wards but it is different when you have all the equipment and back-up to working on the floor of a railway carriage with an audience of football fans.

"Everything just kicked in and I went through the procedures almost without thinking. Once it was all over I felt drained but I don't think I did anything other than what any of my colleagues would have done."

Dr Dewhurst helped the man, a 44-year-old from Southern Ireland, lie down, kept his airways clear and worked to keep him awake as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

He stayed with the man until an ambulance arrived to take him to hospital.

Jonathan said there were no medical aids on the train and added: "At one stage I thought he was going to arrest and briefly I could not feel a pulse. Fortunately his heart kept beating and it was just a case of keeping him stable until the ambulance arrived," said Jonathan. "I believe that was about 15 minutes but it seemed a lot longer at the time."

Jonathan and his family were allowed to stay on the Tottenham train for the journey to Cardiff and by the time they reached their destination the man's wife had phoned to say he was in Frenchay hospital were he was in a stable condition.

And by an amazing coincidence Dr Jonathan Dewhurst later discovered that his former university flat-mate was treating the 44-year-old heart attack victim at a Bristol hospital.

"My flatmate from university last year works at Frenchay and when I rang him on Monday he was able to tell me the man had been kept in for tests but was doing well," said Jonathan, a former QEGS pupil and lifelong Rovers fan.

"That was a good result but I was very pleased with the other result on Sunday too. It was a memorable day all round."

Dr Dewhurst had travelled up from the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital where he works to meet up with his dad, his twin sister Kate and other members of the family.

And proud dad John, of Watsons Solicitors, said he was impressed by his son's handling of the situation.

"I know he is a doctor and has trained for many years to become one, but to see him taking control of the situation and treating the man was very impressive," he said.

A spokesman for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club said: "We are aware of this incident and of what the Blackburn Rovers fan did to help the Spurs fan. It was a great gesture."