THOUSANDS of children from across York and North Yorkshire learned vital life saving skills as part of restart a heart day.

Events were held in York at York College and Archbishop Holgate's CE Academy today as part of a national day of action coordinated locally by Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS).

Across the county children from 32 schools took part including Barlby High, Bootham School, Fulford School, Malton School, Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate, Queen Margaret’s School, Selby College, Selby

Selby High School, Sherburn High, Tadcaster Grammar School, and York High.

In 2015 The Press reported how then 15-year-old Fulford School pupil Alex Cowes went in to cardiac arrest during a PE lesson and was resucitated by two teachers and two office staff who called 999 and used CPR and a defibrillator.

Alex said: “I am so thankful to the staff at the school for acting as quickly as they did; what they did saved my life - they were brilliant.”

An ambulance team stabilised Alex then took him to York Hospital and he had a cardioverter defibrillator implanted in his chest to continuously monitor his heartbeat. Within a few weeks Alex was back at school sitting 14 GCSE exams.

Today York College also hosted a visit from Deputy Lieutenant Paul Shepherd, in support of the event, aimed at boosting cardiac survival rates.   

Volunteers from the YAS told students how important it is to perform CPR on anyone suffering a cardiac arrest, with survival chances doubling if a bystander starts CPR before the emergency services arrive on the scene. 

Practicing the life-saving skill, students were left in no doubt about the significance of their learning.  Caitlin Greaves, a child studies student, said: “The thought of having to do this is a bit scary but I feel much more informed on how to carry out CPR now.  I think it’s really important to be shown what to do and I could probably step in to help save a life if I had to.”

A-level student Joseph Ward had previously seen people doing CPR on the television, he said: “It’s harder than it looks, you have to really push down hard and not be frightened about doing so.  I’m pleased to have the chance to practice as I now feel more confident about delivering CPR, if necessary.”

Last year, YAS saved more cardiac arrest patients than ever before - 310 compared to 240 in 2015-16. And although survival rates have increased in Yorkshire over the last two years (9.3 per cent in 2015-16 and 10.1 per cent in 2016-17), statistics across the UK are still stubbornly low compared to countries like Norway (around 25 per cent), where children learn CPR in schools.

Jason Carlyon, Clinical Development Manager for YAS, said: “CPR is undoubtedly the most important step in the chain of survival. If this can be carried out in the critical few minutes before the arrival of an ambulance, it can mean the difference between life and death.”

It is the fourth year that YAS has organised the event in conjunction with the British Heart Foundation, Resuscitation Council (UK) and St John Ambulance (over the last three years YAS has provided CPR training to 51,000 youngsters in Yorkshire).

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said: “CPR is the difference between life and death for thousands of people every year in the UK who suffer a cardiac arrest.

"Every second counts, and it simply isn’t enough to hope that someone who knows CPR is present.

"We need everyone to learn this life-saving skill to give them the confidence to step in and give CPR.”