Off-duty police officer saves tot from choking (From This Is Lancashire)

Off-duty police officer saves tot from choking

11:50am Saturday 9th March 2013 in News

AN off-duty police officer jumped to the rescue of a two-year-old girl who was choking on her tongue at the side of a road.

PC Scott Wolstenholme, a traffic officer based at Leigh, was driving along the A49 near Newton-le- Willows when he spotted a woman at the side of the road, holding a little girl who looked “blue and floppy”.

Gemma Lake, aged 26, had stopped in her car after noticing her two-year-old niece having a seizure.

PC Wolstenholme, who was in the car with his family, pulled over. He gave first aid and managed to get the little girl breathing again.

PC Wolstenholme, a father-of-two, said: “The child was unresponsive — I could not see her breathing. “It is just something you do. It is in your nature. All day every day you are helping people at work. I am so pleased at the result.”

Ch Insp Mark Dexter said: “We are immensely proud of Scott’s quick thinking and coolness in an incredibly stressful situation.

“This was undoubtedly terrifying for Gemma, and Scott used all his skill and training to take control and administer vital first aid. He arguably saved this little girl’s life and is an absolute credit to GMP and the roads’ policing unit.”