Family saves Cambridgeshire mayor's life after post-surgery collapse

Nik Johnson took three months off from mayoral duties for the operation

Cambridgeshire's mayor said his family saved his life when he collapsed following "significant complications" from open heart surgery.

The Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Nik Johnson, has returned to office after a three-month absence.

After surgery for a condition that caused an irregular heartbeat, Mr Johnson said he then had a "significant bleed" at the hospital and collapsed.

He said his wife and daughter were able to alert a team to treat him.

"I'm in the position now that I can genuinely say that my wife saved my life," said the Labour mayor.

"I was being well looked after but the problem was I had a massive, significant bleed around the heart, which then caused a problem with the cardiac output.

"My wife and my daughter alerted the team to my sudden collapse."

'Forever grateful'

He said he was diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation just a few weeks after he had been up Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK.

Mr Johnson, who was treated at Royal Papworth Hospital, said the surgery itself went well, but there were "significant complications" afterwards.

He said: "If you're going to have a cardiac arrest, you might as well have it in a hospital, and you'd be even better if you can have a cardiac arrest in a cardiac hospital."

He added he was "forever grateful" to those who treated him.

"It doesn't matter if you're a prince or pauper, they will save your life," he said.

Mr Johnson, who has started a phased return to work, also thanked Cambridge City Council's Labour leader Anna Smith for stepping in during his absence.

Paediatrician Mr Johnson was elected mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) for Labour in May 2021, for a four-year term.