'Hero' children help to save nan from cardiac arrest

Two children in Swindon are being called heroes after their nan survived an almost fatal heart attack.

Julie Blackford, 68, from Upper Stratton, has been fitted with a pacemaker and at the end of May, it failed and turned off, causing her to go into cardiac arrest.

Also in the house was Julie's daughter Sam and her grandson, Kai, 7, who discovered her collapsed on the sofa.

While Sam was on the phone to 999, Kai remembered what he had been taught to do at school, and immediately left the house to alert a neighbor, who rushed to help and started performing CPR very quickly.

Paramedics and a crew from Wiltshire Air Ambulance attended and Julie's life was saved, with them saying this was directly a result of Kai's quick-thinking.

But the heroics don't stop there for Julie's grandchildren, as her other daughter, Rebecca Gadd, 30, explained.

"I was in Madrid to see Taylor Swift with my daughter Maisy when we found out what had happened," Rebecca said.

"Mum had been rushed to Swindon hospital and was placed into an induced coma, by the next day they had taken her out of it.

"She stayed in hospital for four to five days and we were worried about her being brain damaged because she had technically been dead and without oxygen for a long time, but she was fine, it was amazing really."

Rebecca and Maisy, 12, flew straight from Madrid to Swindon and went straight to the hospital where they stayed with Julie in intensive care.

This is when Maisy, who had been making friendship bracelets for the Taylor Swift show, came up with the idea to sell them to raise money for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, who had helped to save her nan's life.

"In 2013, her Auntie Sam had shaved her head for charity, and she soon realized that's not going to get near enough money and my sister joked to her that she should 'shave her head too' and now she's doing it," Rebecca said.

"She has spent her own money on a hall, she will be selling sweet cones and making cakes."

The head shave will take place on Saturday, July 6, 2.30pm at Meadowcroft Community Centre, thanks to Stratton St Margaret Parish Council.

Maisy was hoping to raise at least £500 for charity, but on a JustGiving page set-up for the event, she has so far smashed that target with £825.

"She would love it if people came and supported her," Rebecca said.