Carlisle mother saves toddler's life day after first aid course

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-36177738

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A mother from Carlisle saved the life of her 18-month-old daughter the day after attending a first aid course.

Samantha Furmston almost cancelled her training with the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) because her daughter Rosie was unwell.

However, the day after the course Rosie stopped breathing and Ms Furmston had to perform CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

She recovered and Ms Furmston has urged people to get basic first aid training.

'Life and death'

Ms Furmston said: "Rosie had been coughing and being sick and I was starting to get worried and I'd been advised to take her to hospital.

"She was suddenly struggling to breathe and had turned a pale, almost blue colour.

"I instinctively pulled her out of her car seat and everything that I had learnt from the evening before about choking just kicked in.

"I gave her four back blows and then noticed some vomit come out of her mouth. I then felt her take a deep breath and she started crying."

Richard Lambert, of the NWAS, who gave the training, said: "On occasions like these it proves that knowing basic first aid along with having the confidence to use the skills means the difference between life and death."