A man was resuscitated by staff and flown to hospital after collapsing in the gym at The Swallows in Sittingbourne.

The air ambulance was called to the leisure centre this morning after a man is understood to have suffered a heart problem.

Medics were sent just before 9am after the gym user, believed to have been aged about 40, became unwell.

The Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance was scrambled and landed at nearby Borden Grammar School.

Helimedix joined staff from the South East Coast Ambulance Service, whose response included two ambulances and an ambulance car.

After being stabilised, the man was flown to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford at about 10.30am, which took just 14 minutes.

Dave Harcourt, executive officer of Swale Community Leisure, which oversees the management of the centre, said: “One of our regular members collapsed whilst using the equipment in the gym.

“Our staff responded rapidly and began resuscitation, including using the on-site defibrillator, whilst waiting for the ambulance service to arrive.

“Thankfully, the gentleman was revived and left the leisure centre conscious in an air ambulance.”

A spokesman for the ambulance service added: “We wish to express our thanks to staff at the centre. The man had stopped breathing and CPR needed to be commenced and was commenced prior to our arrival. We continued that treatment along with the air ambulance.

“He was taken to the William Harvey in a serious condition.”

It is the second serious incident this year at The Swallows, after a man in his 60s collapsed and died in the gym on Thursday, February 4.

On that occasion, the gym was shut and staff attempted to resuscitate the man. They were commended for their actions by the ambulance service.

Police were also called but a post-mortem examination revealed the man had died from natural causes.