LABOUR MP Robert Sheldon today thanked swimmer Duncan Goodhew for saving his life after a heart attack, and said: "If it wasn't for him I would be in some crematorium."

Burnley-born Mr Sheldon, 76, chairman of the Commons standards and privileges committee, collapsed on February 17 while walking in St James's Park in central London, as Mr Goodhew was passing.

Trained like all swimmers to recognise the symptoms of cardiac arrest, 1980 Olympic gold medallist Goodhew delivered cardio pulmonary resuscitation before the ambulance service arrived 12 minutes later.

Standing outside the House of Lords, Mr Sheldon, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, said: "Somebody was looking after me that day -- luckily for me he knew exactly what to do.

"The London ambulance service was superb. I couldn't have wished for more." Ambulancemen arriving at the scene found Mr Sheldon was not breathing and had no pulse, despite Mr Goodhew having three times restarted his heart.

However, the team managed to resuscitate him and take him to St Thomas' Hospital where he made a full recovery within five days.

Goodhew said: "I was very pleased with the training I had when I was young, and I'm just thrilled that I've been able to put it to good effect on somebody that has contributed so much to the country, over so many years."

Paramedics Karl Eccleston, 30, and Mark Osborne, 35, said Mr Goodhew performed a textbook resuscitation.

Mr Eccleston said: "Any CPR done before the ambulance crew arrives is extremely helpful. It significantly improves the patient's chances of survival, because it does the work of the heart and lungs before we get there.

"Good location descriptions are essential because if the ambulance takes longer than 10 minutes the success rate goes down."