A Korn tribute act drummer suffered a stroke on stage aged just 28 - but refused to quit playing until the end of a song before collapsing.

Korn Again's Alex Headen was playing Rockstock Festival in Stockport when he began to feel unwell.

As the band played Helmet in the Bush, the air-conditioning engineer got half way through the fourth song of their set before feeling a pain in his shoulder, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Within seconds, the left side of his body went numb and he went blind in his left eye - forcing him to stop playing the cymbals.

(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

In an incredible display of commitment, Alex finished the track with his right hand only, before collapsing and being rushed to Stepping Hill Hospital where he was treated.

Distressing footage taken last month captures the moment Alex began to grimace as he suffered the stroke but refuses to stop performing - only collapsing on his drums as the song reaches its conclusion.

(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

The video even shows lead singer Stephen Emerson looking round concerned to see what is wrong but admits he thought Alex was simply 'exhausted'.

Alex, from Wirral, Merseyside, said: "I didn’t want to stop the song because it was so early in the set. I didn’t want to let the band or crowd down.

Alex said: "I'm very lucky that medics where close and helped me out. The NHS is a national treasure."

"Never in a million years did I think I was having a stroke. I just thought I had low blood sugar or was dehydrated.

"I thought 'if I get through this song I can grab a fizzy drink or a bite to eat and carry on'.

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"I started the show fine but by the fourth song my vision started to go blurry, then my left arm went numb and I dropped my drum stick.

"I carried on playing with just my right arm but then I completely lost my vision in my left eye. The song finished and I collapsed on my drum kit."

Alex stayed in the hospital's stroke unit for a week while medics ran tests to determine how the stroke had occurred - but they still have no answers.

Lead singer Stephen has now appealed for a drummer to step in while Alex recovers - as his band mate uses his drumsticks at home to relearn how to play.

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As he rests and works on improving his mobility, Alex is practising his music from his sofa with a pad and some drum sticks.

Alex said: "They still don’t know the cause so I'm a little anxious about that. I can’t really remember much from the first or second days in hospital other than being very scared.

"My walking has improved loads over the last few weeks. I'm still struggling with my left arm and shoulder, but I'm making good progress.

Alex added: "I started the show fine but by the fourth song my vision started to go blurry.

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"I'm getting my practice in too. My left hand is still pretty numb but I can control my fingers and slightly control my wrist, so I’m able to start teaching my left hand how to play correctly again.

"I'm very lucky that medics where close and helped me out. The NHS is a national treasure."

After enjoying a successful six months in Korn Again and playing as part of a Marilyn Manson tribute, Alex will now take a step back and allow someone else to take over for a while.

His band mates, including Stephen, 30, have gigs lined up until the end of the year and they have now appealed for a stand-in so they can keep touring.

Stephen, from Liverpool, Merseyside, said: "It's amazing that he carried on throughout the whole song. What a trooper.

His band mates, including Stephen, 30, have gigs lined up until the end of the year and they have now appealed for a stand-in so they can keep touring.

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"It must have been painful yet he carried on. You never want to stop a song midway.

"He carried on and that's incredible. It just shows his commitment.

"Fans have been sending all their love and support - they're all in shock to be honest.

"When I tell people he had a stroke, they say 'how old is he?' When I say he's 28, they can't believe it.

"I don't think anyone realised at the time what it was. People just thought he was exhausted.

"We played the full song, then a backing track to the next song came on while he was collapsed on the kit.

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"Over the microphone I was shouting 'time out, we need help'. Within a couple of minutes an ambulance and paramedics were at the stage.

"During the performance, the other band members looked around in confusion as the music's 'loud and aggressive' tone wavered. Stephen and his colleagues looked to the back of the stage as Alex sipped a bottle of water mid-song.

"We played the full song, then a backing track to the next song came on while he was collapsed on the kit."(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

Stephen said: "One minute 45 seconds into the song, Alex stopped playing the cymbals.

"All of Korn's music is heavy on the cymbals as it's loud and aggressive, but all of a sudden, they dropped out.

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"You hit the cymbals with your arms up high and he wasn't able to do that as the stroke began to occur.

"He played the whole song just with his right foot and right arm because his left arm was dead.

"He was trying to drink water because he initially thought he had heat exhaustion. We all turned round thinking 'why's he drinking mid-song?'

"He went all the way through right to the end playing with just one arm.

"That must have been uncomfortable and painful for him to continue, but he didn't realise he was having a stroke.

"We turned around to approach him and see what was wrong, then he collapsed on to the drum kit."

Now Alex is back at home and starting physiotherapy, he is using equipment to help build up the strength in his left limb.

Stephen said: "Alex's bought a practice pad for his drums, because the doctors actually said to him playing drums will be very good for his rehabilitation and motor skills.

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"His dad brought him a pair of sticks into hospital for him to practice, and he's got a bass drum pedal pad to allow him to practice his foot work too.

"Alex now has his sight back. His motor skills are still lacking in his arm, but he's got full function in his leg now.

"The brain isn't communicating with the limbs and I think that'll take time for the muscle memory to come back. But the doctors have said he'll make a full recovery through physiotherapy.

"All the tests are coming back without any reason, but they know there's no bleed on the brain.

"They think it's possibly a little clot that's occurred in shoulder that's gone now. They can't identify anything in the scans.

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"Alex is an integral part of this band and the Marilyn Manson group, but we're looking for someone to take part on a temporary basis while he recovers.

"I book our shows for the whole year up until December, so if someone comes out due to illness I need to make sure those shows are still honoured.

"That's why we're asking for a drummer to stand in. "I've had loads of emails from drummers saying they can do certain shows in certain cities, which is great."