HUNDREDS of school pupils in Otley have been learning lifesaving first aid skills.

Year 9 students at Prince Henry’s Grammar School were given training in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on Tuesday, October 16.

The event was part of Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s (YAS) Restart a Heart Day which saw similar sessions carried out at 115 other secondary schools across the region.

This is the fifth year that YAS has organised the event in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross, the Resuscitation Council (UK) and St John Ambulance.

Prince Henry’s has taken part every year, training 1,300 students - to date - in the process.

Arshan Afshari, who took part, said: “This was really important because it can save a lot more lives and help us save more people.”

Fellow Year 9 pupil Tom Dalton said: “It means that if you find a situation in the street, you know what to do.”

Assistant Headteacher – Learning Support, Phil Temple, added: “We are always looking for ways to educate our young people in their responsibilities as part of the wider community, so this campaign is an ideal complement to our work in school.

“It’s great to think that, with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service and their volunteers, we have trained over 1,300 young people in our school alone.”

The students were supported by volunteers from the local Ambulance Service, the hospital, Community First Responders, the Fire Service and the St John’s Ambulance.