A red-carded goalkeeper helped save the life of an opposition fan - moments after being sent off for a high tackle.

Ben Scott, 29, who plays for non-league side Stocksbridge Parks Steels, rushed to help the spectator, a man in his 70s, at Saturday's away game in Norfolk against King's Lynn.

The semi-professional footballer, a staff nurse at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, worked with volunteers from St John Ambulance to stabilise the man, who had suffered a suspected heart attack.

"I was walking down the tunnel after being sent off when a girl ran past me and screamed a gentleman had died," said Ben, from Doncaster.

"When I got to him, he wasn't breathing - his heart was in an irregular rhythm.

"We administered a shock and luckily it was effective and he started breathing again."

A spokesman for St John Ambulance said the man, who was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, had recovered and was now back at home.

Ben, who felt the red card was unfair, added:  "People talk about fate and things and I think that's played a massive part - everything happens for a reason.

"People from America have been commenting about it on Twitter and it's been on Fox News but I'm only really bothered that the man made a recovery."

The match ended in a 3-3 draw.