A 22-year-old voluntary worker told how thick smoke at her home caused her to stop breathing.

Firefighters were called out to Fiona Watson's home after her grill pan caught fire.

When the two fire crews arrived at her home in Avon Way, Greenstead, Colchester, the blaze was already out and they found Miss Watson outside trying to get fresh air.

She began suffering an asthma attack and within minutes had stopped breathing.

Quickly realising something was very wrong, the fire teams began giving her oxygen from their resuscitation kits.

At first it seemed the oxygen was working but then her breathing worsened before stopping completely.

She was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and began to stabilise. But her breathing suddenly stopped again, by which time paramedics were at the scene and they managed to restore it.

Miss Watson, who is today back to work in Braintree, was taken by ambulance to Colchester General Hospital where she received emergency treatment.

Speaking about her ordeal Miss Watson said: "The fire crew saved my life. I was terrified and my friend was terrified. After a short while I was not really aware of what was happening.

"I'm still feeling a bit chesty now but I'm otherwise unharmed."

Station Officer Mark Jones said she had gone outside for fresh air when she suffered an asthma attack.

Trouble spot - Fiona Watson with the grill pan which caught fire.

Picture: STEVE ARGENT

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