KIND golfers from Cleobury Mortimer Golf Club will concentrate their fundraising efforts on a service that helped saved a fellow member’s life.

Club captain Bob Lucas and seniors skipper Trevor Warman have both chosen the Midlands Air Ambulance as their charity of the year.

They said they opted to support the vital lifesaving service when their friend Dave Hadley collapsed on the course in January 2016. He was airlifted to Worcestershire Royal Hospital and rushed straight into theatre where he was operated on for an aortic aneurysm.

Surgeon Eric Grocott repaired the aneurysm and also carried out an embolectomy to the right femoral artery.

Mr Hadley, who is aged 75 and lives in Kidderminster, was transferred to intensive care following the operation where he stayed for four weeks before spending a further four weeks in a vascular ward.

This was followed by a three-week stay at Grange Rehabilitation Centre in Kidderminster before finally being allowed home.

But it was the speedy response of the Midlands Air Ambulance that proved to be crucial to saving Mr Hadley’s life.

He said: “I had just started my round and played just one shot when I collapsed without any warning. Luckily I was scooped onto a golf buggy and hurried back to the clubhouse.

“An off duty paramedic made a rapid assessment and the air ambulance was called. I recall being lifted into the helicopter but nothing else.

“One of the surgical team told me while I was still in hospital told me I was extremely lucky to be alive and the main contributory factor was the speed in which I was taken to the hospital. For that I will be forever grateful to the air ambulance.”

Bob Lucas added: “The Midlands Air Ambulance is an exceptional service that saves lives – as highlighted at our club.

“This is the reason that both I and Trevor Warman have chosen them as our charity of the year. All money we raise will go to them.”