First aid saved daughter's life

Mr Johnson's daughter Neave was spotted on the bottom of the pool

A father has told how he saved his daughter's life when she almost drowned thanks to first aid skills he learnt six years ago.

Mark Jackson, of Forest Row, East Sussex, was left holding the lifeless body of his daughter Neave after she was pulled up from the bottom of a swimming pool.

The accident happened while he, his wife Sariah and their three children were on holiday in Norfolk two weeks ago, staying in a rented house with a pool.

While everyone was in the water the three-year-old girl sank to the bottom, where she was spotted.

She was cold and like a rag doll and when I turned her over, her face was completely purple Father Mark Jackson

Mr Jackson said: "The first thing I saw was her mother, Sariah, holding Neave and she was completely limp and lifeless.

"She was cold and like a rag doll and when I turned her over, her face was completely purple - it was a real shock.

"I just started doing the resuscitation without really thinking about it."

Mr Jackson, who had completed a first aid course with the St John Ambulance six years earlier, carried on trying to save his daughter with the nearest ambulance at least 15 minutes away.

'Relief and joy'

He said: "Something of the training I had had came back to me that said 'don't give up until the emergency services arrive regardless of how bad you may think it is'.

"So I gave it one more go - I gave her mouth-to-mouth - and that's when she took her first breath.

"The relief and joy I cannot explain."

Neave survived unharmed thanks to Mr Jackson's efforts.

Kim Godwin, of St John Ambulance, said: "All the skills we train are very basic and they don't need equipment and this has just proved the case.

"Stay calm for those few seconds and just try and remember the basics and it can save a life."