Quick-thinking staff at Asda in Gateshead have been praised after potentially saving the life of an 18-month-old baby in the store.
Colleagues Laura Black, Holly Sim and Clare Hopps sprung into action when on shift at the Metrocentre superstore when the tot was found to be unconscious, unresponsive and running a high temperature. First-aider Laura was first on the scene after hearing the child's mum crying for help.
Laura, 39, who is the store's security section leader and mum to three-year-old Kallum, said: "All I heard was someone saying 'can someone help me, help me, please' and I saw this lady cradling her son. My heart just sank, it really did."
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She recalled: "I got them into the first aid room and him onto the bed to assess the situation. He was non-responsive, but still breathing, although it was very shallow. I knew the situation wasn't great so I immediately dialled 999."
Laura then passed the phone on to her colleague Holly, who relayed the information to the call handler as Laura set about trying to help the sick youngster. "The baby had a very high temperature – he was so warm he was cooking. I started to strip him down," she said.
"Being a mum myself and having many years of first aid knowledge, I just knew I had to get this little one cool." The 999 team instructed Holly to get the store's defibrillator after hearing the seriousness of the baby's condition, but thankfully it did not need to be used.
"I turned the little boy onto his side and gently nudged him. He cried, as he didn't like it, but it was a such relief that he came round," Laura said.
Fellow Asda staff member Clare helped to comfort and calm the boy's distressed mum as they waited for paramedics to arrive. The baby was checked over and given medication in the store by responders, before being able to go home.
The mum has since returned to the store to thank the colleagues and to tell them her son had recovered, but was undergoing tests. Laura, who's worked at the store for 22 years, said: "When the medics arrived they said we'd done the right thing.
"What went on for possibly 20 to 30 minutes felt like a lifetime," she admitted. "I just did what any first aider would have done and mum instincts kicked in as well.
"I was proud of what I did and being able to assist. The key component was to not panic and intuitively do what I've been trained to do."
The quick-thinking staff member added: "Afterwards I went for a glass of water and locked myself away in the security room and I actually did cry. The adrenaline rush gets you through it but when you come down the emotion hits you."
Tracey Warren, customer trading manager of the Gateshead store, said: "We're all so proud of Laura, Holly and Clare for what they did. The boy's mam came into the store the following week to see me.
"She was very emotional and so thankful; she was in floods of tears. She said it if wasn't for the colleagues' actions that day her little boy may not be here today."
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