A Mid Sussex pensioner who has spent the last 16 years raising money for heart machines was saved by one when he was rushed to hospital.

Frank Lucas, 82, from Burgess Hill, started collecting money for the Mid Sussex Zipper Club, which supports Sussex people with heart problems, after his wife, Marjorie, had successful heart surgery in 1987.

When Mr Lucas visited his doctor at the Silverdale surgery in Burgess Hill last year for a regular check, he found himself being rushed to hospital by paramedics.

Mr Lucas, a retired engineer for British Caledonian Airways, said: "I had been to see the doctor about slight angina the week before and he said to come back for check-up.

"I started telling him about a little turn I'd had during the night when he stopped me and said he wanted me to go straight to the hospital.

"I was collected by an ambulance and as I looked up I saw a Zipper Club plaque on the pulse machine I was attached to.

"In the hospital there was another plaque showing the machine I was on had also been presented by the club.

"It was wonderful to see first hand how much good the club does.

"I'm on medication now but since I've been out of hospital I haven't had any complaints from my heart."

Now the Zipper Club is donating a resuscitation machine to the Silverdale surgery.

Mr Lucas said: "When I got out of hospital I asked the doctor if there was anything the surgery needed as the club had a little money in the kitty.

"He said he could really use a heart-start machine."

Since its foundation in 1986, the club has donated more than 20 defibrillators and heart monitors, which cost from £2,000 to £3,000 each, to ambulances, hospitals and surgeries around Mid Sussex, as well as equipment such as aerobic machines to help patients recover after surgery.