A TODDLER who was found face down in a friends' pond was left fighting for his life after his heart stopped beating.

Staff in the emergency operations room gave vital advice to those who initially found the two-year-old boy after he suffered a cardiac arrest at around 6.40pm on Monday evening.

His rescuers were talked through how to restart his heart and keep it beating until paramedics arrived at the house in Broxburn Drive, South Ockendon just five minutes later.

An ambulance service spokesman said: "The Clinical Assessors in the Emergency Operations Centre provided advice to those at the scene on how to carry out Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) after they were told that the boy was not breathing.

"The crews took over as soon as they arrived and started using their advanced life support skills.

"The child was rushed to Darent Valley Hospital in Kent on blue lights - a lane was kept free for them on the QE2 Bridge.

"As well as being in a state of cardiac arrest, the boy was extremely cold."

The toddler was initially treated at the hospital but later transferred to Guys Hospital in London. Despite initial fears for his recovery, the hospital reported the boy's condition had improved. It is understood he was making "both cardiac and respiratory efforts" himself.

Police were also called to the address as part of their routine enquiries, but later reported there were no suspicious circumstances.