A case of the runs is credited with saving the life of a New Zealander.

The drama began when a 51-year old service station worker in the town of Tauranga suffered a heart attack. His co-workers dialed 111, and within moments a paramedic (who wants to remain anonymous) was on the scene. But the paramedic had not received the emergency call -- he was transporting a woman to Tauranga Hospital when he was hit with a sudden attack of the runs, and pulled into the Maungatapu BP service station to use their facilities.

When the paramedic entered the station, he was eagerly greeted by a mechanic who was gesturing wildly and shouting, "follow me quickly." The parametric assumed that a crew member had phoned ahead explaining the situation, so he followed the guy through the garage on the belief that he was being shown the shortcut to the restroom. Instead, he was taken to the heart-attack victim who by then was unconscious and not breathing.

Quickly shifting priorities, the paramedic sprinted back to the ambulance for the defibrillator, which he used to administer two shocks to the fallen worker, reviving him. Mount Maunganui ambulance officer Gary Bishell said there was little doubt that, had the man not got early defibrillation, he would have died. "That four to five minutes made the difference between life and death," said Mr. Bishell.

As for the trots, the paramedic's adrenaline kicked in and he was able to hold on for another hour - allowing time to deliver the patient to the hospital and return to St John's headquarters.