A HAIRDRESSER put her skills to good use to thank medics who helped her family on the heart-breaking day their baby girl died.

Anne Marie McCormick was just 28 weeks pregnant when she gave birth to a girl at home, in St Helen Auckland, last September.

The emergency services were called and husband, David, gave mouth-to-mouth to their tiny daughter until help arrived – whilst also trying to prevent their son, Vinnie, from getting upset.

Richard Yorke arrived first in a rapid response car, followed by ambulance crews Kevin Dinning, William Solway, Rebecca Appleton and Keiran Rankin.

An air ambulance was also deployed but not used at the scene.

Read more: Tributes after sudden death of hugely popular head gardener in County Durham

Mr McCormick and baby Bonnie went to Darlington Memorial Hospital in one ambulance, followed by Mrs McCormick in a second.

At hospital, medic Tahira Rashid and midwife Emily Ward, and later Claira Lister, stood out for their help.

Mrs McCormick, 37, said: “We knew Bonnie had a poorly heart so when we rang 999 we said she needs to go to the RVI so the air ambulance came but as they were trying to land on a field near our estate it became obvious there wasn’t time to move her to the helicopter.

“When I got to Darlington they were working on Bonnie but she passed away within an hour, it was horrendous and heart-breaking.

“But really, I cannot put into words how amazing those ambulance service and hospital staff were.

“I felt safe and supported, we knew everyone was doing their best, they all stayed with us and were so kind.

“We know how important the NHS is but I really want those people to know just how incredible they are and how much they mean to us.

“Tahira holds a special place in my husband’s heart, the dad can get forgotten about a bit but she went straight to him to ask if he was okay.

“Before Bonnie, one of the paramedics had been to two fatal stabbings in the same shift. That’s not normal, nobody should have to deal with that and people shouldn’t just think ‘that’s their job’ but appreciate they're human and must have so much to deal with.”

The Northern Echo:

Mrs McCormick did a ‘hairathon’ at her salon, Meraki Hair Lab in Howden-le-Wear, near Crook, working from 10am on Monday to 10am on Tuesday.

The £4,000 she raised went on creating bespoke hampers with personalised treats and practical items for those eight individuals and a donation to the Great North Air Ambulance.

She said: “I was doing every type of appointment including cuts and colours, I did a full head of foils at 3.30am. Clients paid extra and not one person asked for change, one stranger came in off the street to donate money which was so lovely.

“They got really good hampers because I wanted them to know just how special they are to us.

“Nobody should have to go through losing a little baby, but their support really made a difference to us and I wanted to show them how much we thank them.”

The Northern Echo:

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