Budding cricketer Ben Aldred had a cardiac attack at the age of 18 (Picture: Keith Gillard)

An aspiring cricketer is raising funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young after surviving a cardiac attack at the age of 18.

Ben Aldred was in a coma for almost 72 hours after collapsing and suffering a cardiac arrest while walking on a Perth beach in October 2022.

The teenager had only just arrived in Australia, where he was planning to spend the winter to develop his cricket career at the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy.

His great-uncle Andy Tracey gave him CPR for 15 minutes and paramedics were able to bring him back to life, with Aldred miraculously making a full recovery at the Joondalup Hospital.

Ben, who had starred in Bexley Cricket Club’s National Cup win at Lord’s just a week before his health scare, was later diagnosed with an abnormal valve in his heart and was fitted with a defibrillator.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, now back playing for Kent Premier League side Bexley, hopes to raise funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young.

The funds will go towards helping young cricketers in the area receive heart screens, with at least 12 young people dying in the UK every week as a result of an undiagnosed heart condition.

Aldred is back playing for Kent Premier League side Bexley (Picture: Keith Gillard)

Ben, his dad Danny, brother Jack and best friend George will be co-ordinating a static bike ride which will run every minute of the day throughout Bexley’s Cricket Week, with a virtual route visiting all 18 county grounds in the UK.

Ben’s mum, Donna Aldred, said: ‘We really don’t want another family to go through what happened to Ben, and if we can help prevent it happening to at least one other young player the anticipated blisters will not have been in vain.’

Speaking back in November, Ben told The West Australian: ‘I don’t have much memory of what happened. From what I’ve heard, I basically just dropped to the pavement.

‘I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the paramedics, which is incredible every time I say it. To be completely honest, it was quite emotional to be able to have the chance to talk to them. I want as many people to learn CPR as possible.’

To find out more and donate, click here.