ONE of Liverpool’s best-known commercial property agents has returned to work less than a year after nearly dying following a serious heart attack.

Mason Owen director Chris Connor was at one of his regular karate classes in October last year when he collapsed.

And it was only the quick response of a fellow club member, a paramedic, that saved his life.

Mr Connor told LDP Business: “I collapsed and banged my head. Another guy in the class was a paramedic and it was lucky he was there as my heart and breathing had stopped.

“He performed CPR on me for 15 minutes.”

His heart was restarted using a defibrillator and he was rushed to Broadgreen Hospital where he spent a week in intensive care.

He added: “I had suffered what is called hypoxic oxygen starvation, and for a while it was touch and go.”

Mr Connor was later transferred to Warrington General Hospital for a further three weeks before finally returning home just a few weeks before Christmas.

Now, following an intensive rehabilitation programme, the 55-year-old has returned part-time to the city centre offices of Mason Owen.

“I feel great,” he said. “We lost a colleague here after a heart attack, so I’m grateful to have been given a second chance. I am listening to advice and will not try to do too much and will ease my way back in gradually.” Mason Owen managing director Paul Moran said everyone at the firm was delighted to see Mr Connor return.

“We are very lucky to have Chris back,” he said.

The agency, which employs more than 100 people in Liverpool, Chester, London and Edinburgh, is celebrating after scooping the Estates Gazette North West Property Advisor of the Year award for the fourth time in five years.

MASON Owen chairman Barry Owen has received an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.