A man's life was saved by his devoted dog and a team of quick-thinking strangers after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest on a Dorset beach.
Beach Walk Turns to Lifesaving Drama
David Howarth, 71, had been enjoying a walk with his five-year-old Labrador, Beau, on Sandbanks beach in Poole. After taking a dip in the sea, Mr Howarth collapsed onto the empty sand. His faithful companion immediately sprang into action to get help.
Beau began bouncing up and down on his owner, running frantically on the sand and barking loudly to draw attention to the emergency. This unusual behaviour was spotted by passer-by Claire Dashwood, who was walking with her partner.
Swift Action by Strangers and Off-Duty Doctors
Ms Dashwood, 65, rushed over and found Mr Howarth unresponsive. He had stopped breathing and showed no pulse. She and her partner, Paul Harrold, turned him onto his back and began performing CPR while guided by a paramedic over the phone.
By chance, two off-duty doctors, Rachel Hall and Chris Hovell, were walking along the promenade and saw the incident unfolding. They ran to assist, taking turns with Ms Dashwood to carry out chest compressions in a desperate bid to keep Mr Howarth alive.
A Miraculous Recovery Against the Odds
When paramedics arrived, they used a defibrillator to shock Mr Howarth three times before he began to show signs of life. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors implanted a defibrillator near his heart. After a week in hospital, he was discharged and has since made a full recovery.
Reflecting on his ordeal, Mr Howarth said, "I feel I owe Beau my life. I feel like I've won the lottery." He described the group who saved him as his "angels" and expressed immense gratitude for his second chance.
Claire Dashwood recalled the critical moment, noting that Beau, far from being protective, kept licking her as if he knew she was helping. "The dog could have growled at me or attacked me but he kept on licking me. He knew I was helping David," she said.
Doctor Rachel Hall added that she was "genuinely astonished with the outcome because David was completely gone when we saw him on the beach."
A Stark Reminder of the Importance of CPR
Sam Kennard, community defibrillator manager at the British Heart Foundation, said this story is a powerful reminder of how crucial it is to act fast in an emergency.
"Lives were saved because someone recognised the signs of cardiac arrest and started CPR immediately," they stated. "Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time."
This remarkable chain of events on a Dorset beach underscores the life-saving power of:
- Recognising an emergency.
- Initiating immediate CPR.
- Using public access defibrillators.
