The drama happened when Karla Williams, her partner Laurie Gamble and friends went out for a meal on Saturday night.

Mr Gamble chose a sizzling Brazilian beef dish but began to choke after taking his first mouthful.

After spending several minutes struggling to dislodge the piece of meat, a stranger at another table stepped in and successfully performed an abdominal thrust, known as the Heimlich manoeuvre.

“If it hadn’t been for this bloke Laurie would have been dead,” Miss Williams said.

She initially thought her partner, a father of two, was joking.

“I actually had the first piece of his meal,” Miss Williams said.

“Then Laurie had a piece and had started chewing it and then he’s grabbed me and pointed at his throat.

“I said ‘are you kidding’? I thought he was joking.”

Miss Williams said she was in shock and didn’t get to thank the man properly at the time.

“I don’t even know this man’s name, but we want to say thank you,” she said.

“We’re indebted to him.

“It could have been a totally different story if he hadn’t been there.”

Mr Gamble, who works at Ag-Spread Albury, said he remembered little about the ordeal, apart from the fact he couldn’t breathe.

“It was surreal, I don’t remember much except being whacked.

“I definitely owe him one.”

He said his only injury was sore ribs, “and I can live with that,” he laughed.

The venue owner said he was sorry to hear of the incident.

He offered a free meal to Mr Gamble and Miss Williams.