A community warden has been honoured for rescuing a stroke victim who had spent all day lying in his garden unable to cry for help.

James Crane, of Minster, stayed on beyond the end of his shift to pass out crime reduction leaflets to homes in Bay View on November 6 last year on behalf of the Community Safety Unit.

When the 25-year-old went up to one of the homes in St Clement’s Close at 5.20pm he noticed Phillip Talbot lying in the front garden next door.

Wearing a dressing gown and night wear after collapsing that morning, he had turned blue and was shivering.

His body core temperature has fallen to 35C, two degrees below normal.

He was struggling to breathe and could not speak so had to respond by squeezing Mr Crane’s hand.

Anyone walking past the front of the house would have been unable to see Mr Talbot, who lives alone, lying prone because of a large hedge bordering all sides except the one with his neighbour.

Mr Crane, who also volunteers as a coastguard rescue officer, immediately put his hat and fleece on the casualty to warm him.

He called 999, but it took around 50 minutes for an ambulance to arrive from Strood because most of the local units were dealing with an accident on the A249.

The paramedic established the man was diabetic and later in hospital he was diagnosed with hypothermia.

Mr Talbot has now recovered enough to return to work.

Mr Crane said: “I don’t feel particularly heroic. It was just first aid training which came in immediately and meant I was able to keep calm about it and do what my training required.

“I’m just pleased to have had a small part in his recovery.”

Mr Crane was nominated for the Kent County Council (KCC) Chairman’s Commendation Award by his area manager, Paul Linstead.

KCC chairman Eric Hotson, presented him with the award at County Hall, Maidstone, last Wednesday.