A POLITICIAN says he is the ‘luckiest man alive’ after surviving a major heart attack.

Mo Khursheed (Labour, Botwell) fell unconscious following the attack during the night of August 31 and had to be resuscitated.

After more than two months of recovery, he received a warm welcome from his colleagues at the full meeting of Hillingdon Council on Thursday last week.

“I was dead for several minutes and the doctors had to bring me back,” he told the Gazette, speaking publicly for the first time since the incident.

“It all happened so suddenly. My son called the ambulance, which arrived in five minutes.

“I have no memory of it, apart from waking up in intensive care.”

Councillor Khursheed, 70, has praised Harefield Hospital, in Hill End Road, for the care he received.

During his 16 days there, he had two artificial heart pumps fitted and an operation on a collapsed lung.

He credited the doctors who cared for him at the hospital for saving his life.

“The staff were marvellous; they really looked after me. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today.

“I have to go back twice a week for check-ups and I am on a lot of medication, but I am on the mend.

“Everyone at the council has been very supportive, and I am chuffed by all the ‘get well soon’ cards and messages from residents offering to help however they can.

“I heard that prayers were held for me at all the mosques in west London, which I was really touched by.”

Fellow Botwell councillor Janet Gardner said: “I was really worried about him. We speak on the phone every day, and I was in contact with his family while he was in hospital.

“He now needs to take it easy for a few months. Life is precious.”

At last week’s meeting, Conservative council leader Ray Puddifoot expressed his delight at having him back, and urged Mr Khursheed to put his health first and ease back into his casework.

Councillor Khursheed, 70, joined Hillingdon Council in 1998, and was a ward representative in the former Colham and Yeading wards, before being elected for Botwell ward in 2006.

He was leader of the Hillingdon Labour group from 2009 until earlier this year.