A SCOTS man whose life was saved thanks to Vinnie Jones is to star alongside him in a new CPR commercial.
Alan Linton, 39, was rescued by his friends in February after they remembered an advert starring the Mean Machine actor that showed a ‘hands only’ approach to the life-saving technique.
Since the near-death experience, the dad-of-three, who bears a resemblance to gangster flick hard man Jason Statham, has been in touch with Vinnie Jones.
As well as filming a new advert for the British Heart Foundation due to be aired tonight (Monday night) the former footballer has invited the Cupar man and his friends out to America for a game of golf.
Alan said: “Vinnie was great when I met him last month. He was really concerned about my health and insisted my and my pals come over toLos Angeles.
“We’re arranging suitable dates but it looks like it’ll be early in 2013 – that would just cap off everything that’s happened this year.”
Alan hopes to complete rehab and return to work before spending Christmas with wife Jacqui and children Ellie-Jay and Sam.
His life was saved by friends Paul Pinkney and Brian Henderson who remembered a BHF advert starring the former football hard man and jumped into action.
The advert with Jones advised people to perform the technique ‘hands only’ to the Bee Gees’ hit Stayin Alive.
Alan, a dad-of-three from Cupar inFife, recalled the incident that could have killed him in February.
He said: “I’d been feeling fine but just as we walked off the fifth green I felt dizzy.
“Then it got really bad and I had to kneel – I ended up on my back and then I was out.”
While friend Brian called the paramedics it was chum Paul who dropped to his knees to administer the life-saving treatment.
Dancing goons
Medics arrived at the golf course within 12 minutes and a helicopter arrived 20 minutes later that took Alan to Ninewell Hospital in Dundee.
Alan added: “The [doctors] said I should never have made it – those first fifteen minutes after it happened were crucial.
“The advert was the first thing that popped into my friend’s head, so Vinnie helped keep me alive.”
According to the BHF 28 people have had their lives saved thanks to the advert that looks like a Guy Ritchie cockney gangster movie.
It shows Vinnie in long mobster-looking coat with two goons behind him who look like they mean business.
A body is kicked across the floor and at that point Vinnie drops to his knees and shows how you should position your hands before giving CPR.
One of Jones’ cronies then hits the play button on a ghettoblaster and they start dancing to the Bee Gees song as Vinnie resuscitates the previously motionless body.
