Three drinking mates who brought a man back from the dead after they found him hanging in a pub toilet were today hailed as heroes by his grateful family.

ABOVE: From left, Phil Butler, Lol Myers and Sammy Pollington who resuscitated Andy Berwick who was found hanging in the toilets of The Queens Vaults pub in Selby Main

Former soldier Andy Berwick, 30, a British Sugar worker in York, is now recovering in York District Hospital where doctors described him as a "very lucky man."

And his relieved wife Yvonne, of Hempbridge Road, Selby, said it was a miracle her husband was still alive.

Mr Berwick was found hanging in a toilet cubicle in the Queens Vaults, in Ousegate, Selby, with a flush cord round his neck.

By the time he was discovered by pub regulars Lol Myers, Sammy Pollington and Phil Butler, he had stopped breathing and they could not find a pulse.

Former Whitemoor Mine pitman Mr Myers, 58, of Hollywood, Selby, said: "His lips and finger tips had turned blue, and his skin had turned yellow and grey. He was technically dead.

"There's no doubt that had we found him a couple of minutes later, he would have been a goner."

Mr Myers said they went to investigate after the pub landlady said Mr Berwick had been in the toilets a long time.

He said: "We banged on the toilet door and then managed to open it using some house keys. We found him in the corner hanging from an overhead cistern with the cord round his neck."

Hazlewood Foods production worker Mr Pollington, 40, of Coupland Road, Selby, then lifted Mr Berwick up until scissors could be found to cut the cord.

Former professional rugby league player Mr Butler, 46, of Springfield Close, Barlby, is a pit deputy at Wistow Mine and used all his skills as a highly-trained first-aider to help bring Mr Berwick back to life.

"We ripped the guy's shirt off. I carried out some chest compressions while Phil gave him mouth-to-mouth with Sammy calling out the timing," said Mr Myers.

"Finally we knew he was back with us. We carried on with the resuscitation and when the paramedics arrived they said we had done a brilliant job."

Mrs Berwick, who has a three-year-old son, said her husband was in intensive care for two days following the incident on Saturday night.

She said: "I was told he was technically dead, and it's a miracle he's still with us. Those three men saved his life - they're real heroes and I can't thank them enough. Andy is now sitting up in bed and talking, and hopefully he will make a full recovery."

Mystery surrounds the incident. Mrs Berwick, 38, said her husband had shown no signs of depression. He had been out drinking since 3pm on Saturday, and when he rang her at 10.30pm had sounded "really jolly."

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