TWO Westbury rugby players had to resuscitate a referee during their game against Swanage & Wareham 2nds on Saturday after the official suffered a suspected heart attack.

Hadden Graham, 55, who is the former treasurer and chairman of Marlborough Rugby Club, was in charge of the Dorset and Wiltshire League match at Westbury Sports Centre when he collapsed after 35 minutes.

Westbury players Paul Jones, who works as a nurse, and Matt Inseal, a trained first responder, used a defibrillator and carried out CPR on the pitch.

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance arrived at the scene at about 3.30pm and took the Marlborough man to the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

He has since been transferred to Bristol Royal Infirmary, where he is still under sedation.

County president of the Dorset and Wiltshire RFU, Ron Jones, whose son was one of the players to give first aid to Mr Graham, said: “The club are very pleased and proud with the way the two players acted.

“Although it was my son who was involved I don’t know much about the incident because I haven’t spoken to him as he’s just returned from his honeymoon. All I know is that my son and his team-mate performed CPR on the man before the air ambulance arrived.

“Its just one of those things. I’ve never heard of a referee or player suffering a heart attack on the pitch but I’m sure it has happened before.

“We just hope that the guy will be okay for his and his family’s sake, especially at this time of year.”

Charlie Sheppy, Marlborough Rugby Club Chairman, is a close friend of Mr Graham. He said: “Thank God there was a medic on the pitch playing and he knew there was a defibrillator at the Westbury Leisure Centre and they administered CPR and got his heart going again.

“He is a super guy and you could not ask to meet a nicer man. He is a very sociable and amiable guy and he would do anything for anyone.

“Everyone at the rugby club sends him their wishes for a speedy recovery.”

Mr Graham, who has a PhD degree, is an animal feedstuffs nutritionalist and works for ABVista based at the new Marlborough Business Park.

The rugby fanatic has three children - Mark, who is at Cambridge University, younger son Ryan, who left Dauntsey’s School in West Lavington in July and will be going to Southampton University next year, and daughter Jenny.