Mr Woods was rushed to Crawley Hospital where he received treatment in the intensive care unit.

He is is expected to return to his Crawley home next week.

Mr Woods collapsed as play started in the second half of the match between Wooldridge United and Ifield IV at Ewhurst Place playing field, Ifield.

Wooldridge manager and player Mike Crowhurst said: "We were playing 200 yards from Crawley ambulance station, a minute's drive away, but it took 23 minutes before an ambulance arrived. It was unbelievable."

He said while they were waiting one of the players drove to the ambulance

station and arrived just as a paramedic turned up for work.

He attended to Mr Woods until the ambulance arrived.

Mr Crowhurst said Mr Woods complained of feeling unwell shortly before half-time and was sitting on the touchline watching the game when he collapsed.

He added: "We were very concerned about Brian but when the ambulance crew arrived they did a very good job.

"However I do wonder what would have happened if it had been a child knocked down."

Sussex Ambulance operations director Trevor Anderson said the paramedic arrived within seven minutes, a minute inside the national standard.

The emergency call was received at 3.44pm and an ambulance was on its way five minutes later. But the vehicle broke down.

Mr Anderson said a

Surrey ambulance was

summoned, which arrived 23 minutes after the call.

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