A Watford supporter who helped resuscitate fellow fan Larry Brooks after he suffered a cardiac arrest during Watford's game with Chelsea at Vicarage Road has spoken of the importance of learning CPR and first aid skills.

Darren Rolfe was in the Upper Graham Taylor stand at the time of the incident, sitting several rows behind Mr Brooks when the medical emergency happened, and used his skills to provide necessary intervention while club doctors and paramedics made their way over to the stand with vital equipment.

At first he thought the commotion in the stadium was related to fan trouble, but when he realised it was something more serious, he put to use the skills he has learnt for his job, working at drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres.

"Initially I thought there were away fans in the Watford end," said Mr Rolfe. "But then it came to light that the fans around him were looking for first aid and stewarding support and that’s when I ran down and saw Larry lying on the floor.

"It was a bit of a scary situation but as time evolved there Larry woke up and connected with us and then he didn’t and then he did again. I knew in my heart he was going to be okay afterwards because they did all his heart checks with the ECG machines.

"When they shocked him with the defibrillator the first time, he came back around straight away."

Since the incident Mr Rolfe says he has remained in close contact with Larry, who was taken straight to hospital from Vicarage Road for further treatment and to discover the origin of the problem.

While the knowledge that Larry is going to get the help he needs is thanks enough, Mr Rolfe said that more people need to learn CPR and first aid skills, in case they find themselves in a similar situation in the future.

"The thanks is neither here nor there for me, I just utilised my skills and god forbid, if I were in that situation, I would like to know that someone might have those skills about themselves and be in a position to save my life," he said.

"It’s not about the thanks, I have processed it, it was quite emotional knowing that someone could have actually died in front of me that night and the thoughts around that. People take it for granted.

"When you’re dealing with life and death and it’s right in front of you, it puts a different spin on life and a different perspective. At Watford football club we’re all one family, everyone knows everyone and that’s what the whole ethos is about and for me, Larry was a part of my family in that process and for him to come round and be sitting up talking the next day and the weekend knowing he’s going to be okay is everything."

Mr Rolfe believes that CPR and first aid training should be taught in both schools and workplaces and says that it does not take long to learn important skills that could be crucial to saving someone's life.

"First aid training should be taught in secondary schools and I think it should be part of workplace training," he said.

"I think nowadays, even the managers of school teams and Sunday league football have to be aware of where the nearest defibrillator is, or be first aid trained in some description. It can happen to anyone, in the street, at home, at work or school. Any time.

"You can have a four hour session, quite easily on administering CPR and looking at recovery positions and compressing on the chest and giving mouth to mouth, all of the above and for me, the message I want to put across, is the importance of first aid and CPR. I think it should be offered to everyone."

Following the incident, Watford Football Club is running a mandatory review of its emergency policies and says it has two plans in place in case of medical emergencies, which are both reviewed by specialists to make sure they are suitable for purpose.

The club has also thanked the supporters who intervened to help Mr Brooks last week while those plans were being put into action.

A club spokesperson said: “Firstly, Watford Football Club wishes to reiterate its thanks to all individuals and medical agencies involved in the treatment of supporter Larry Brooks at last week’s Chelsea fixture.

“The quick thinking of supporters in the vicinity is always going to prove very important in the early moments of an incident – and this was matched by the response times of the club’s contracted in-stadium emergency medical teams.

“Watford FC produces two Medical Operations Plans, both of which are reviewed before every season by third-party medical specialists.

“It is these companies who provide on matchdays fully-qualified personnel delivering expert medical care. Deployed right around the stadium, these teams are fully equipped to deal with the kind of medical emergency experienced last week.

“Full reviews of all relevant policies are mandatorily undertaken after any incidents of this nature, and this process is already underway.”