When Gail Jones collapsed at work with what turned out to be a double brain aneurysm her friend and boss Hannah Evans calmly stayed by her side after phoning for an ambulance.

And she’s being supporting her through every stage of recovery ever since.

Gail, who’s now back at work on the optical and pharmacy department at Asda Swindon Haydon, Orbital Shopping Park, said: “Hannah so went above and beyond, I can’t believe what’s she’s done for me. It’s amazing. I really can’t thank her enough.”

The moment that changed Gail’s life took place on November 26 last year.

She said: “I was helping Hannah our at the front end of the store that day and I was absolutely fine. I just dropped down to the floor in sheer agony. I couldn’t see. I went deaf. I had amazing head and neck pain. I was being sick and I couldn’t move. It was horrible. It just came completely out of the blue. No warning.

“Hannah phoned for an ambulance and got the pharmacist over too. Hannah stayed with me all the time while we were waiting for the ambulance and was comforting me.”

Gail was first taken to Great Western Hospital, but because her blood pressure “was right through the roof” was transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Gail said: “Hannah came up to the hospital in Swindon and she’d brought me pyjamas, a toothbrush and essentials.

"She realised that I had Hunter my Staffordshire Bull Terrier at home and no-one to take care of him as I’ve got no family close by, so she took it upon herself to look after him as well. She put all her plans on hold.”

Gail had a nine-hour brain operation for the double aneurysm – the first the hospital had seen in 25 years – but had to have further surgery due to complications.

“They nearly lost me three times. I’m so lucky to be alive. I wasn’t due to be in work the day it happened, it was my day off but I’m glad I was.

"If I’d have been at home I probably wouldn’t be here right now. It’s really bizarre, I was in the right place at the right time.”

Gail spent six weeks in hospital after the surgery and lost her speech and mobility which have now slowly returned.

She said: “I’m so lucky as I’m absolutely fine apart from a bit of tiredness and short-term memory loss. The surgeons there were brilliant.”

Throughout her recovery, Hannah has been supporting her.

Gail said: “She was constantly on the phone to me and now I’m back home she pops in to see me.

“I’m just so grateful. Thanks to her I’m alive basically. She didn’t have to do any of that. She did so much and was so caring. It was such a kind natured thing to do. And she’s been so supportive with me coming back to work too, as have all the team.”

Customer trading manager Hannah, who’s been at the store for 11 years, said: “Gail is such an amazing lady and is always there for other people, so it was just right that I was there as much I could be for her. It’s just brilliant that she has recovered so well and is back at work.

“On the day it happened I was walking alongside Gail by the checkout bank and she literally just dropped to her knees. And I was like ‘Come on, stop messing around, get up’ but she said she couldn’t.

"It was horrible. I called an ambulance straight away and they asked me to get her to move her arms as I think they thought she was having a stroke, but she could do everything fine.”

Store manager Ian Wallis said: “Hannah has been amazing with the support she has given to Gail, going above and beyond in my opinion.

"The kindness and compassion she has shown from taking care of Gail in store to supporting her at home is truly inspirational.”