SIX staff at a school in a market town have been trained to give emergency life support.

Bedale High School has signed up to the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Heartstart UK programme, which offers training in emergency aid.

The course was delivered by Peter Stead of the Great North Air Ambulance service and involved all the techniques necessary to buy time until the emergency services arrive in the event of a serious heart problem.

Teachers were taught the emergency life support techniques of chest compressions and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

It is hoped to deliver a course to year seven and year 11 students as part of a wider emergency aid programme Martyn Coombs, the school’s head of physical education, said: "Many people, who might otherwise die, can be saved by someone who has the knowledge that we are now trained to impart.

"The training of our staff was paid for by BHF, which has donated 15 dolls to be used in the delivery of the emergency life support course.

"By applying life support techniques until the emergency services arrive, the trained bystander can sustain life during those crucial minutes.

"It does seem strange that we will be teaching techniques to pupils aged 11 to 16, in the hope that they will never have to use the skills they learn.

"However, we consider it essential that all pupils at Bedale High School have these essential life-saving skills."