STROKE victim Paul Leyland, from Ashbrittle, has spoken about his frightening attack as a campaign was launched to highlight the symptoms of stroke.

He was only 53 when he had his stroke, returning from holiday in Cornwall, but recognised the signs and thanks to rapid medical help was back at work within two weeks. He now lives a healthier lifestyle to reduce the risk of another attack.

Paul, who had his attack in 2012, said: “I was on my last day of holiday and was asking for it really – I was smoking a cigarette and running for a cooked breakfast at Tesco in Truro.

“A wave of numbness overcame me, and I just stopped in my tracks and leant against the car. My family dragged me into the store, where a paramedic was called.

“I had a good friend who had a stroke three months before and I immediately knew what it was. Thankfully, the paramedic arrived and I was whizzed into hospital very quickly.”

He was injected with drugs in his stomach to break down clots in his blood vessels. “It was like Dyno-rod for the blood system,” Paul added. “And because of it I came out fairly unscathed – I was very lucky.”

The painter and film-maker said he used to be a heavy smoker, enjoyed a bottle of wine and did not take enough exercise. Now he says he walks up and down the hill at Ashbrittle at a rapid pace twice a day, does anaerobic exercise every couple of days and yoga, and eats healthily.

Public Health England has relaunched its annual FAST campaign, which urges members of the public to call 999 if they notice any one of the signs – Face, Arms, Speech – of a stroke in themselves or others.