A FATHER is fundraising to buy more public defibrillators for his area after a neighbour's use of one gave his dad a "fighting chance".

Kevin Higgs, from Crowmarsh Gifford, is hoping his family's story will encourage others to help him fundraise.

The father-of-two said his 66-year-old dad Denis suffered a cardiac arrest in the middle of the night on Thursday, September 8.

After telephoning for an ambulance, his mum, Carol, contacted close neighbours Ashley and Alison Collier for help.

Remembering there was a defibrillator nearby, Mrs Collier raced off to retrieve the life-saving device while Mr Collier performed CPR.

Mr Higgs said: "When the ambulance arrived they said dad was breathing by himself and that his heart had started.

"We all breathed a sigh of relief and I cannot thank Alison and Ashley enough for helping him and my mum, they gave him a chance.

"Unfortunately after about a week in hospital dad passed away on Friday, September 16."

The 39-year-old said he was devastating to learn that his "generous and family devoted" dad, a caravan engineer who had retired just three weeks before, would not recover.

He said: "I did get to say goodbye to dad before they turned off the machines, which was obviously really important for me.

"But I just wanted to thank Alison and Ashley for what they done, to me they both saved my dad's life.

"From this I want people to be aware of where their closest defibrillator is, so if this happens to someone else they, too, are given that chance.

"I want to fundraise and try and get as many of them put in place around Wallingford and even further afield."

Mr Higgs has already raised enough money for two defibrillators: one will be placed outside Crowmarsh Gifford School and the other at holiday park Hoburne Naish, in New Milton, which the family visited.

He added: "In a way this is a tribute to my dad, a piece of his legacy.

"What will be lovely for us to see is that the holiday park said it would be able to put a plaque to commemorate dad alongside the defibrillator.

"Everyone says I had the best dad because he was just there for everybody.

"If you needed him he would help, no questions asked, and now in a way he will still be helping others through these defibrillators."

Mr Higgs, who owns an cleaning business, said that he hoped he could make a difference to someone else's family.

He added: "My dad was taken too soon from us, I still don't think my two girls have come to terms with it.

"We just hope for another person and another family, this amazing piece of equipment can be made available to them."

For more information or to make a donation visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kevin-higgs