An off-duty St George’s Hospital nurse who helped save the life of an elderly man after he collapsed outside a Worcester Park supermarket has been praised.

Marietta Armoogum, a sister on the Neuro Intensive Care Unit, rushed to the aid of Yagoub Khoi-Abbasi, 84, outside the entrance of Waitrose in Stone Place in September.

Store staff performed CPR on him for 19 minutes before she helped bring him back to life with paramedics by using a defibrillator.

His son Joseph Khoi-Abassi said: “My father was blessed to be given a new lease of life after an angel, Marietta Armoogum, who works at St George’s, saved his life.

“Nothing in this world can compare to the gift of life that this amazing lady bestowed on our family. For us, this is pure and simple a miracle.

“No amount of recognition or appreciation can convey the true depth of our feelings towards Marietta, every day we thank her from the bottom of our hearts.”

Ms Armoogum was shopping while off duty on September 1 and visited him in the St George’s Coronary Care Unit after spending eight days in its care.

Mr Khoi-Abassi made a full recovery and was reunited with his family.

She said: “I’d had immediate life support training at St George’s a few months prior, so when I saw someone had collapsed outside the shop, the training kicked in, along with an added adrenaline boost.

“I’m so pleased that Yagoub has made a full recovery and is now back home with his family.”

Waitrose staff later presented Ms Armoogum with flowers after she managed to get the patient’s name before leaving.