A man has thanked scouts for their lifesaving efforts after he collapsed in the woods.

John Allinson, 53, a grandfather of four from Loftus, was walking through the Rosecroft Wood area on Monday (June 24) after receiving bad news, before he suffered a seizure and fell unconscious – before he was found by the First Loftus Scouts.

He praised five young scouts, Tyler Duncan, Dylan Powell, William Bagshaw, and Greg and Niall Richards, all aged between 11 and 14, as well as their scout leader, Helen Tyreman, who provided Mr Allinson with medical assistance.

The group called for an ambulance and, following their guidance over the phone, undertook an assessment of his condition.

 The scouts not only provided medical assistance to Mr Allison, but also informed his wife and escorted her to their location.

The scouts were offered “thank you” certificates by the Mayor of Redcar & Clevelandthis week for their efforts.

Despite having no recollection of the incident, Mr Allinson said: “I dread to think what would have happened had the scouts not been there.

“What they did on that day was incredible and the gratitude that I feel towards them is beyond anything I can express with words. I would like to thank each one of them for saving my life.”

Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Cllr Alec Brown said: " These children, these scouts are real life heroes. In this modern day of consoles and smart phones, it is great to see young people in a scouts group learning life skills and saving a life of another.

“A huge thank you from me to all those involved."

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Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Cllr Neil Bendelow, said: “It is an honour for me to have met these young people who, on the evening of 24 June, were nothing less but heroes.

"That day could have had a different outcome if it wasn’t for their prompt actions and teamwork. What they did is a testament of kindness and community spirit.”

Ward Member for Loftus, Cllr Linda White, who organised the certificate ceremony for the scouts, said: “They are all incredible young people, and we are all very proud and grateful to their noble actions. They fully deserve this recognition and are a credit to our local community.”

Helen Tyreman, the leader of the group, added: “We do first aid training throughout all the scouting sections at various levels and to witness my scouts in action that night makes me immensely proud of them all.

"They not only cared for John and his wife but also each other and it was great teamwork. They truly deserve this award.”