FORMER Aston Villa hero Chris Price is lucky to be alive after being dragged out to sea by huge waves as he played football on an Australian beach.

The full-back who starred for Villa in the early 1990s, suffered a cardiac arrest and was found face down in the sea by lifeguards.

He needed reviving twice by lifeguards after being dragged from the water as high seas lashed the flood-hit Queensland coast.

Hereford-born Chris, aged 50, was in intensive care for several days and is now recovering at his Australian home from pneumonia, which he developed after swallowing water during his ordeal.

Chris, who made 111 appearances for Villa, moved to Australia at the end of his football career.

However, his dream Down Under turned into a nightmare two years ago when the family business was badly affected as the global financial crisis spread to Australia.