A MOVIE fan who saved a complete stranger’s life when his heart stopped beating during a screening has been hailed as a hero.

Gary Strohmer, 53, was watching the Theory of Everything at Empire Cinemas, Basildon, when a man in the same row as him fainted.

Fellow cinema-goer Philip Badman fell ill after a muscle defect prevented his heart from beating and supplying his brain with oxygen.

Gary, of Hampstead Gardens, Hadleigh, leapt to Philip’s rescue, helping to get his heart started again before the emergency services arrived.

Philip, 50, who lives in Brentwood, admits he remembers little of the day.

He said: “I remember I was sitting with my partner Susan watching the film and I was holding her hand, I suddenly began to feel woozy and faint.

“I didn’t feel sick or ill at all and the next thing I remember was I woke up on the floor in front of the cinema on the floor.

“I remember hearing Gary’s calming voice but I couldn’t see him because it was dark.”

Grateful Philip later nominated Gary for a commendation award from the Royal Humane Society to recognise his actions at the cinema last January.

The award was presented to Gary during a ceremony at Castle Point Council’s offices in Kiln Road, Thundersley, yesterday.

Gary said he jumped into action when Philip’s partner Susan Saint suddenly shouted for help when she realised something was wrong.

He said: “It all happened so quickly, I ran over to help. I lifted Philip up out of his seat and carried him down to the front.

“I just took charge. I am quite a calm person and good at keeping calm in stressful or bad situations, “I shouted to people to call the ambulance, told someone to get the lights turned on and the film off and to get the management and someone to get a first aider.

“I held Philip’s head back and opened his airways and suddenly he began to breathe.”

Philip remained in hospital for a few days after the incident, but he had been put in touch with Gary within weeks and the pair have since become firm friends who regularly go for runs or a quiet drink at the pub.

Philip added: “I’m so grateful for what he’s done. Without him I would have been a goner.”