ONE of Worcester’s best known public figures has had a heart attack - and says he owes his future to “brilliant” hospital staff.

Mike Layland, dubbed in some quarters ‘Mr Worcester’ after 43 years in local politics, suffered the heart attack last Tuesday.

The 77-year-old, a former mayor twice, city chamberlain and High Sheriff, was rushed to Worcestershire Royal Hospital after becoming ill following a meeting in Perdiswell.

Mr Layland has had clogged arteries tidied up and came out last Friday, telling your Worcester News he feels “fantastic”.

His scare follows a triple heart bypass in 2008, which was one reason why he stepped down from the Guildhall last year.

“I was at this meeting and suddenly started feeling a bit clammy inside, and quite weird,” he said.

“I actually got home and told the wife and she dialled 999. We had paramedics and am ambulance come up within minutes.

“When they took me in they said ‘it looks like you have had a heart attack’, and later on they confirmed that’s what happened.

“I had some disease in my arteries and they just got on with the job and cleared it up for me, with no fuss whatsoever.

"We are very, very lucky in Worcester to have that hospital, the staff are such specialists, to me they are brilliant.

“I’ve got nothing but praise for them. They were incredible.”

Mr Layland, who started out in 1966 as a Labour councillor before leaving to become an independent, represented the Nunnery ward.

In recent months politicians have led calls for him to be given the Freedom of the City, joining the likes of Sir Edward Elgar, Worcester Warriors owner Cecil Duckworth and former Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.

He still sits on five different community bodies as a trustee, chairman or vice-chairman, including a group looking after cemeteries, and Perdiswell Young People’s Leisure Club.

“I am still keeping myself busy, which is important,” he said.

“I can honestly say I feel fantastic - I’m back home now and looking forward to carrying on.”