Tragic: 13-year-old suffers cardiac arrest during a football match (PICTURED)

A promising 13-year-old footballer is fighting for his life in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest during a game.

Quinton Barham collapsed on the pitch just minutes after complaining of feeling unwell at an under-14s cup match in Bromham, Wiltshire, on Sunday.

First aiders and an off-duty paramedic gave the teenager CPR before an air ambulance arrived at the Bromham Social Centre and medics re-started his heart.

Talented player: Quinton Barham, 13, collapsed on the pitch after scoring his third goal in an under-14s cupTalented player: Quinton Barham, 13, collapsed on the pitch after scoring his third goal in an under-14s cup

Aid: Medics gave the teenager CPR before an air ambulance arrived at Bromham Social CentreAid: Medics gave the teenager CPR before an air ambulance arrived at Bromham Social Centre

He was stabilised before being taken to Bristol Children’s Hospital, but doctors still do not know if he will ever play football again.

Speaking from his bedside, father Paul, 48, said: ‘He is still critical and still asleep, doctors have kept him that way for now.

‘He is still on a life-support machine and he is undergoing tests to try and find out what is wrong with him.

‘We have been told that his pulmonary artery is in the wrong place, it is in the middle of his two heart chambers rather than going through it.

‘Because he was playing football and his heart was working hard to pump the blood, it basically crushed the artery which caused the heart attack.’

It is believed the football-mad teenager had just scored his third goal when he suddenly felt unwell and complained to his father of pains in his chest.

Terrifying: Doctors said they will not know how much damage has been done to his brain for some timeTerrifying: Doctors said they will not know how much damage has been done to his brain for some time

Within minutes Quinton, from Trowbridge, Wilts., had collapsed on the side of the pitch and medics performed CPR on the youngster.

It is thought that he was ‘unstable’ for around an hour before doctors managed to regulate his heartbeat.

Mr Barham today described the moment he thought his son had died in his arms, saying: ‘It was a quarter-final cup match and he had played the first half and scored a hat-trick – he is a top goal scorer.

‘About five minutes into the second half Quinton put his hand up and came running off the pitch clutching his chest.

‘I was stood on the other side of the field and I saw them sit him down and wrap coats around him to keep him warm.

‘I could see something wasn’t right with him so I went round to see him.

‘He was sat in the crouched position and I put my arm around him and he told me that his chest really hurt.

‘Within seconds of saying that, his head fell back, his eyes rolled back, he fell into my arms, and he stopped breathing.

‘I have never seen somebody look like that in my life, he was so white.

‘Then all of a sudden somebody, I think another parent, was performing CPR and then somebody else came along and carried on and that was ultimately what saved him.

‘If I hadn’t have gone across to see him, nobody would have noticed him, he would have rolled backwards, people would have thought he was taking a nap or something and he would have died. It was so close.

‘I’m so glad I went around to see him, it keeps going over and over in my head.’

The father said Quinton is now showing signs of improvement after doctors reduced his muscle relaxant and he had begun to flex his fingers and even cough.

‘They obviously had to put him straight back under again but they just wanted to see how he was doing’, he said.

‘Things are starting to look up now, there are a few signs that are giving us hope.’

Frightened: Quinton's family, including brother Lathaniel (pictured left with his sibling) gathered at his bedsideFrightened: Quinton’s family, including brother Lathaniel (pictured left with his sibling) gathered at his bedside

Doctors now think the schoolboy will have to have an operation to put his artery back in place.

Quinton’s cousin Carly Barham, 21, tweeted a message of support for her relative, which was yesterday picked up and retweeted by Fabrice Muamba, who himself collapsed on a football pitch.

Ms Barham described her cousin, who is the youngest of four, as a ‘football-mad Man United fanatic’ who would do anything for anyone.

Miss Barham, from Melksham, Wilts., said: ‘The whole thing has come as a big shock because he is so young, no one would ever have thought it would happen to him.

‘He is just the most genuine kid you will ever meet and if he can’t play football again he will be absolutely devastated.

‘His whole life is football, if he’s not out with his mates playing football then he’s in his room playing Fifa, it’s all he talks about and all he ever wanted to do.

‘He is the biggest Man United fan you will ever meet as well, he absolutely adores them.

‘He’s just a really cheeky chappy, totally harmless and very lovable.

‘Football kept him going, but it also could have been the death of him, it’s so awful.’

Talented player Quinton’s dream is to sign for a premier league team in the future.

But doctors cannot be sure how much damage the heart attack has caused to his brain and said it would be impossible to tell until much later on.

Quinton’s distraught father, mother Debbie, sisters Toni-Anne and Claire and brother Lathaniel were awaiting the results of a heart scan at his bedside yesterday.

Nick Maw, Chairman of Bradford Town Youth Football Club, Quinton’s team, said: ‘The club’s thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family at this time.

‘We are waiting to hear news on the boy’s progress but the emergency services were on the scene within minutes and did a fantastic job.’

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