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A TEENAGE girl whose life was saved by a first aider is repaying the favour by training to be one

Tabatha McElligott suffered a heart attack and collapsed in front of schoolmates at Westcliff High School for Girls, in July 2009.

Community first responder Steve Hockley, 46, arrived at the scene within two minutes and gave Tabatha, who had stopped breathing, two shocks from a defibrillator. It saved her life.

Now Tabatha, 18, has decided to train as a first responder so she too can help save lives – and it was the man who saved her who convinced her to do so.

She said: “Steve asked me if I wanted to do the course and I thought it would be a good idea so I can help someone if the same thing happens to them. “It will be a bit scary doing it for the first time, but I’m going out with Steve for a day first to see what it’s like.”

Before her collapse, neither Tabatha nor her family knew anything was wrong. Although she occasionally suffered chest pains she didn’t think they were serious.

She remembers nothing of the day she collapsed, but has been told by friends how events unfolded.

Tabatha, of Dundonald Drive, Leigh, said: “I was at school as normal and had been a bit naughty because I went to the shops during a free period, which isn’t allowed. “Then we got a phone call to say we had to come back for a fire drill, because you have to register, so we ran back and I got out of breath. “There were about four of us and we were called to the front because we were in trouble, and I just collapsed in front of the whole school.”

Realising Tabatha’s heart had stopped, office staff performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and heart massage, called CPR, before Steve arrived and took over.

Tabatha said: “Steve arrived and used the defibrillator to give me a shock, but it wasn’t until the second one that he got me back. Without Steve I wouldn’t have made it.”

Dad-of-six Steve, of Triton Way, Benfleet, said: “It’s lovely to save someone, but for her to go on to achieve all the things she has is great.”

Steve, site manager at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Leigh, is looking forward to helping Tabatha as a fellow first responder on the Leigh team.

He said: “She’s done the first responder training.

“Passing that to become part of the group is lovely.”