A WILTSHIRE College employee is helping students to learn lifesaving skills as part of national Heart Month by delivering CPR lessons to students on campus.

Hannah Jones, a student engagement officer at the Trowbridge site, was forced to carry our CPR on her partner five years ago after he suffered a cardiac arrest.

With no prior first aid training, Miss Jones dialled 999 before carrying out CPR on her boyfriend for around 10 minutes before paramedics arrived.

Her partner, who was later diagnosed with a heart condition, survived but ever since then the 28-year-old has shared the importance of being able to carry out CPR with others.

She said: “This really is a subject very close to my heart and I want to make sure that other people know more than I did when I was faced with my partner suffering a cardiac arrest.

“I literally had no idea what to do at the time. My initial thought was to get him a glass of water as he had collapsed.

“I didn’t think for one minute that he might have a heart condition. I had never done CPR before, but his lips were blue and I knew it wasn’t good.

“The adrenaline kicked in and I just did it. When you practice you realise how tiring it is but I didn’t think about that – I just wanted to save his life.”

At her sessions Miss Jones taught students how to recognise a cardiac arrest and carry out CPR, how to put someone in the recovery position and how to use a public access defibrillator.

Student Callum Smith, 17, said: “I have applied to do some volunteer work at the RUH in Bath as I really want to become an emergency care assistant working with the ambulance crews.

“I haven’t had any first aid training of any kind as so I was really pleased to be able to take part in these sessions and learn this very important skill.

“I now feel that if I came across anyone who was unresponsive, I would be able to help.”

All students who complete the training throughout February will be presented with certificates provided by the British Heart Foundation.