A team of police officers helped saved a man's life after he collapsed and stopped breathing at Oxford Magistrates' Court.

The life saving team - Sgt Ian Uttley, front, with clockwise from left, Pcs Ben Wilkie and Robert France, PCSOs Laura Jones, Simone O'Dell and Jacqui Harris, and Pc Robert Ablett

The five officers -- one a former nurse -- and three police community support officers rushed to help when the man was found slumped on the floor of the gents toilets after suffering cardiac arrest.

Two constables from the Blackbird Leys neighbourhood team, David Roberts-Ablett and Robert France, were at the court for a trial when they heard what had happened and dashed to the 40-year-old's aid.

The man had stopped breathing and had no pulse. The officers started to give mouth-to-mouth and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while contacting colleagues at St Aldate's police station.

Former senior nurse Sgt Alan Coffey, who worked at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital's coronary ward before joining Thames Valley Police six years ago, ran from the station to the court in Speedwell Street to help.

Sgt Coffey, who has 16 years' experience as a nurse, said there was no doubt the man would have died if the officers had not intervened.

He said: "We managed to resuscitate the man, but he went into cardiac arrest again.

"This happened several times -- the more this happens, the less likely the chance of survival is, and the more likely it is that there could be brain damage.

"Two paramedics arrived shortly after, but we carried on giving CPR so they could set up their equipment.

"We were doing this for about 55 minutes, right up until the man was taken from the ambulance to the ward.

"It's quite tiring giving CPR, so the other officers and PCSOs helped. It was a real team effort."

The man, who was due to be involved in a civil case at the court, was taken into intensive care at the JR, where he is still being treated.

A hospital spokesman said he was making good progress yesterday.

Nikola Smith, Oxford Magistrates' Court office manager, was one of the first on the scene after the man was found shortly before 9.30am on February 27.

She said: "It was really shocking, but the man was very lucky that these police officers were here. They really did save his life."

Sgt Coffey, who has given CPR to four other people during his time as a police officer in Oxford, denied the team of officers were heroes and said they were simply doing their jobs.

But he added: "This man is extremely lucky to be alive, as only five per cent of people resuscitated outside hospital survive."

Chief InspectorSteph Cook said: "I'm proud to acknowledge the prompt and efficient actions of all those involved in this."

All police officers and PCSOs receive basic first-aid training, including how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The other officers involved were Sgt Ian Uffley and Pc Ben Wilkie, and PCSOs Laura Jones, Jacqueline Harris and Simone O'Dell.