A community support officer saved a man’s life as he waited for his delayed plane at Manchester Airport.

Off-duty PCSO Marc Brooks had been stuck at the airport after his flight to Mexico was cancelled by the volcanic ash when he heard a sickening thud behind him.

He turned round to discover a Polish man had collapsed and was having a fit on the floor. He was not breathing and had no pulse.

PCSO Brooks, who has worked on the beat in Accrington for three years, rushed over to help and immediately called for an ambulance.

He protected the man’s head and cleared his airways and after four chest compressions, the man, who was still unconscious, started to breathe unaided.

Within five minutes paramedics arrived but PCSO Brooks continued to help clear the man’s airways before he was taken to hospital.

Marc, 23, said: "People were stood around panicking and not knowing what to do.

"There was a lot of people in the terminal, I would say close to 100. There was a lot of blood on his face from the fall and I couldn’t find a pulse.

"He wasn’t breathing and his face was very blue.

"I started chest compressions and was very relieved when he let out a big gasp of air."

Geographic Inspector Andy Winter praised the officer for his quick-thinking actions.

He added: "Marc has shown great skill and composure in a very challenging situation. I am extremely proud of what he has achieved and he is a credit to the force."

Thankfully, PCSO Brooks had only just completed his first aid refresher course in March, which gave him the confidence to administer CPR.

But remarkably it is not the first time he has sprung into action to help save a life.

Only recently he was presented with a Chief Superintendent’s Commendation along with two other police workers, after administering first aid to a woman suffering an extreme allergic reaction to mushrooms outside Accrington police station in November 2008.

The woman was short of breath and vomiting and her prescribed medication was having no effect. The officers managed to stabilise her in what was a life threatening medical emergency.

PCSO Brooks was due to fly to Cancun in Mexico with friends on April 15.

He has now re-booked his holiday, and is casting a nervous eye to the skies.

But he admits it was a stroke of fate that he was on hand to help again, especially as he should have been on a plane when the man collapsed.

He added: "I would say that it’s all part and parcel of the job, but the training that we get from the St John’s Ambulance is very good.

"It’s been a very stressful week so I am looking forward to going on holiday and putting my feet up!"