A road-side battle to bring a cyclist who collapsed back from the brink of death has resulted in national life-saving honours. 

Zonda Cherry of Ver Road and Leroy Williams of Beech Crescent are each to receive Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificates following their fight to save a 59-year-old cyclist.

On February 22, the cyclist dismounted and then collapsed in The Hill, Wheathampstead.

Mr Williams, 22, was driving with his partner, when he saw a cyclist in front stop and dismount. 

The man staggered onto the footpath and collapsed on his face. Mr Williams immediately stopped, as did Ms Cherry, who was driving with two passengers in a car behind him.

Ms Cherry, 53,who has some first aid training, told a bystander to call for an ambulance and, after assessing the man, told her what to say. She found the cyclist was breathing but had a weak pulse and was losing colour.

His helmet had been pushed back and the strap was restricting his breathing. She undid the strap but the man continued to deteriorate and stopped breathing. 

They rolled him onto his back and Ms Cherry then started administering cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and at the same time instructing Mr Williams, so he could alternate with her. They continued for about ten minutes until a first responder paramedic arrived. They then continued whilst a defibrillator was assembled. The man was given four shocks before being taken to hospital.

Dick Wilkinson, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said the cyclist was lucky the pair had been there to help the cyclist.

Speaking at the Society’s London headquarters as he announced the awards he said: "I’ve said it before in these cases but put simply they were the right people in the right place at the right time.

"They made the difference between life and death. They richly deserve the awards they are to receive."