PUPILS at a Braintree school have become some of the first in Essex to learn how to save a heart attack victim’s life in an emergency.

Year 10 students and support staff at Alec Hunter Academy were taught life-saving skills through cardiac charity SADS UK’s groundbreaking Heartwize initiative.

The free CPR training programme is aimed at teaching pupils essential lifesaving skills to ensure that every school leaver across Essex is trained to recognise and respond in the right way to a cardiac arrest emergency.

Pupils were sown the importance of administrating CPR and defibrillation by lead educator Roy Tyzack.

He said: “It was a pleasure providing the Heartwize training today.

“The students were well behaved and attentive.

“It was good to see how enthusiastically they took part, a credit to both themselves and the school.”

SADS UK aims to save lives by educating people and funding research and medical equipment to prevent premature sudden cardiac arrest.

Founder Anne Jolly said: “We are pleased to be funding and running the Heartwize initiative in Essex.

“CPR being taught in school will make pupils more confident in using this lifesaving skill if they should witness or to be called to help in a cardiac arrest emergency.

“They will also be shown how to use a defibrillator to restart the heart as many schools now have a defibrillator on their premises.”

To find our more information about the Heartwize Essex Initiative, email SADS UK at info@sadsuk.org or call 01277 811215.