Two S2 girls at Dunbar Grammar School put their first aid training to good use when they helped save a seven-year-old boy who was choking on a sweetie while on their way home from school.

Pupils Elle Washington and Sorcha Calder were walking home from school last Wednesday (December 6) when they saw a young boy, 7, struggling to breathe on Lammermuir Crescent.

Two younger boys were trying to help him by patting him on the back, but when the girls saw it was not working, they rushed to his aid.

The girls soon realised he was choking on a sweetie and Elle began hitting him on the back to get the sweetie out.

When that did not work, the girls took off the boy’s bag and repeated the process until they managed to dislodge the sweetie.

Recalling the incident, Elle said: “We were walking down the street on our way home when we saw a small boy stressing out and trying to tell people he couldn’t breathe.

“He firstly went over to these two younger boys who didn’t know what to do. We saw one of them gently patting the boy on the back with no force at all, so we ran over to go help.

“At first I started hitting the boy on the back while he tried gagging to try get the food out of his throat, after multiple attempts I realised it wasn’t doing much since he still had his school bag on meaning I couldn’t get through to his back properly.

“Throughout this whole time we stayed calm especially since the school had taught us exactly what to do so it was way more reassuring.”

The boy managed to get safely home to his mum, who would later thank the girls with a small gift sent into the school.

The girls had been given first aid training as part of their heart start module in health and wellbeing classes. This training proved crucial in making sure the girls knew what to do to help the boy.

Claire Slowther, headteacher at Dunbar Grammar School, said: “Not all superheroes wear capes, some wear Dunbar Grammar School uniforms.

“I am so proud of Sorcha and Elle’s quick actions. They have been learning about first aid as part of a heart start module in their health and wellbeing classes. They really put this learning into action with their clam and quick thinking.

“The boy’s mum contacted the school to thank them both for helping her wee boy and even gave them both a gift!”