A YORK pensioner who nearly died when she suffered a massive heart attack in her doctor's waiting room has praised the medical team who saved her life.

Sheila Harding, of Nunnery Lane, remembers feeling unwell as she waited to see her doctor at the East Mount Road Surgery, in York.

The 65-year-old asked the receptionist for a drink of water, but then suffered a heart attack.

Quick-thinking surgery staff and a Life-Cycle paramedic resuscitated Sheila before an ambulance took her to York Hospital.

After undergoing a triple heart by-pass operation, Sheila, 65, is now back at home.

"There are a lot of people who can take the honour of saving my life," she said. "I can't praise them enough, they were marvellous."

The mother-of-five had recently undergone knee replacement surgery. She booked an appointment with her doctor because she was feeling off-colour.

"The waiting room was empty and I recall asking the receptionist for a drink of water because I wasn't feeling well," she said. "I don't remember anything else for the next two weeks."

Dr David Hartley and practice nurse Jan Jones started resuscitating Sheila. When cycling paramedic Mark Inman arrived, a defibrillator was used to shock her heart into a regular rhythm.

Mark said: "It was a real team effort.

Dr Hartley said: "It was fantastic to see her again and quite emotional. It's not often that we actually save someone's life like this."

Updated: 10:37 Monday, July 05, 2004