CHILDREN at Fulford School know all about the value of life-saving training. Two years ago Fulford pupil Alex Cowes, then 15, almost died after suffering a cardiac arrest during a PE lesson. He probably owes his life to the prompt actions of two teachers and two office staff who carried out CPR and used a defibrillator until an ambulance arrived.

Alex was then rushed to hospital, where he had a cardioverter defibrillator implanted in his chest to monitor his heartbeat - and within a few weeks was back at school sitting his GCSEs.

Few of the Fulford pupils who witnessed the events of that day will ever forget them. But we need more people - young and old alike - to develop the basic skills needed to keep someone alive in those few minutes until an ambulance can arrive on the scene.

That’s why Restart a Heart day is such a great idea.

Yesterday, thousands of pupils from across York and North Yorkshire learned basic life-saving skills from ambulance paramedics. Events were held at both York College and Archbishop Holgate’s School for pupils from across the region as part of a day of action co-ordinated locally by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS). And the skills learned by the youngsters yesterday really could save lives one day.

As British Heart Foundation chief executive Simon Gillespie said yesterday: “CPR is the difference. Every second counts. We need everyone to learn this life-saving skill.” Yesterday, thousands of local schoolchildren did just that.

We hope they’ll never need those skills. But if they do, at least they’ll be ready. Well done to everyone who took part.