Watford MP urges better awareness after surviving heart attack

He said the experience "proved to be a stark reminder that heart disease can affect anyone".

The Conservative MP Dean Russell has revealed he had a heart attack last August and has encouraged people to be more aware of potential symptoms.

The Watford MP made the plea at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

He praised the East of England Ambulance Service, Watford General Hospital and Harefield hospital in west London for his treatment.

Mr Russell, 47, recognised the heart attack symptoms because of his previous work with the British Heart Foundation.

He had worked on campaigns with the charity 15 years ago in his previous career in marketing and communications.

He said: "At the age of only 47, a heart attack was never something I expected to happen to me."

Mr Russell credited the British Heart Foundation for allowing him to spot the symptoms early enough to save his life.

The "experience was a reminder that prevention is better than a cure", he said, and he encouraged people to learn more information from the charity.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, thanked the MP for speaking openly about his experience.