A YOUNG man who had a heart attack last year is marking the "freak" incident by organising a charity football match at Alloa’s Indodrill Stadium.

Kieren Mooney, who is just 19-years-old, was at the peak of his training when a night-time run with a friend changed his life forever.

The young runner was reaching the final kilometre when he suddenly suffered a heart attack and collapsed at the side of the road.

Kieren was rushed to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and was lucky to survive.

Now, a year on, Kieren wants to mark the "scariest night" of his life with something positive to raise money for others living with heart conditions across Scotland.

The charity football match for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland will kick off at 2pm on Saturday, 14 September, at Alloa Football Club, with entry open to all and donations at the door.

As a dedicated Wasps fans, it was only fitting that Kieren's charity match would be held at Alloa FC. Indeed, he and his dad have been cheering on the team for years and the pair follow the Clacks side across the country every week.

Kieren, who is a student at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, said: “I want to raise as much money as possible for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and I hope we pack the stands at Alloa on the day.

“I feel lucky to be able to run around a football pitch a year on from having what doctor’s called a freak heart attack. We all know someone who’s had a heart attack or a stroke, so to help other survivors by raising money for a local charity will mean a lot to us all.

“It will be amazing to see everyone in their Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland t-shirts on the pitch, and it’s the perfect way to mark one year on since that traumatic night.

"I know it will be a day I’ll never forget.”

Kieren recalled what happened on the night of his heart attack.

“It happened when I was out on a run with a friend," he added. "As we reached the final kilometre I started to feel really tired.

"I told him to just run on without me and I’d meet him at the end. But that didn’t happen.

“He ran back to find me collapsed on the side of the road. And a normal night-time run turned into the scariest night of my life.

“My friend desperately tried to flag down passing cars, but no one would stop – someone did throw a water bottle out a car window, but quickly drove away.

“I think passers-by saw two young lads at around 9pm at night, saw that I was stumbling around and struggling to stand, and assumed we were both drunk.

“But finally someone stopped and I was bundled into the back of their car. My grandparent’s house wasn’t too far from where it happened, so they took me there.

“I was physically dragged up the path of their house and I remembered thinking I couldn’t feel my legs. I still remember the total panic on their faces when they saw me.”

That is all Kieren remembers until he woke up the next morning in the Coronary Care Unit at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – with only flashbacks from the night before.

After his heart attack, Kieren faced months of rehabilitation support and physiotherapy sessions to build up his strength.

He was determined to get back to sports and worked hard to achieve his dreams of running once again and playing in his charity football match on Saturday, September 14.

Those wishing to support the cause can visit justgiving.com/Heartofthegame?utm_id=124 to donate.