A GOLFER who owes his life to an advert starring Vinnie Jones has revealed he is embarking on a crusade to help save more lives.
Two years ago to the day, labourer Alan Linton suffered a cardiac arrest while playing a round of golf with friends at a Fife course.
He was saved because his friends remembered a Vinnie Jones advert which told viewers to give heart massage to the tempo of the Bee Gees hit Stayin’ Alive.
Alan, 40, has since become good friends with the Mean Machine actor and is now campaigning to raise cash for life-saving machines.
He wants Public Access Defibrillators – which cost just £1,000 each – installed at as many locations as possible.
Alan is campaigning with charity East Neuk First Responders, who have already installed 25 of the machines.
Defibrillators deliver a carefully-measured electric shock which can restart the heart and keep it going until proper medical attention is received.
Alan visited Colinsburgh golf course – the scene of his brush with death – on the second anniversary to see the installation of the one of the machines there.
His eight-year-old son, Sam, joined him and demonstrated how easy it is to use the defibrillator.
Alan said:“I am having meetings about charity work, and we are trying to get more defibrillators out there.
“They are really easy to use, and they can do so much.
“I took my son, Sam along to the golf course when we unveiled it and we had him use it and show just how easy it is. He had never used one before and he had no problems. You just follow the instructions, it tells you what to do. I think if an eight year old can use it, then anyone can.”
Alan and his four friends who saved his life spent a week in Los Angeles last year as guests of Vinnie Jones.
Alan said: “Vinnie has invited us back over to LA, but we haven’t made any plans yet.
“I know that he is going to be over in Britain in March, but that will be down in Leeds. I think he was hoping to come up and do a bit fly fishing up here, but I haven’t heard yet.”
Just weeks after Alan and his friends spent a week with Jones, the actor revealed that he was being treated for skin cancer.
Alan said: “I emailed him when I found out and he told me that everything was going to be fine, and that they were dealing with it.”
