Award winning team

A team of first aiders from St John Ambulance Hampshire has won a prestigious national award for saving the life of 12-year-old Christopher Stewart.

The six volunteers were on duty at Tongham Motor Club when Christopher suffered an internal decapitation as his mini crashed in a junior grass track race.

The team was nominated for the award by Christopher’s mum Debi Stewart, and they were presented with the Voluntary Ambulance Service of the Year Award 2007 at a ceremony at the House of Commons on Thursday 3^rd May 2007.

Team leader Richard Coleman commented:  ‘When I think back I take a breath and hope it doesn’t happen again.

'We worked well together although at times it was very tense because there was a child there who was severely injured.’

Two crews from St John Ambulance Hampshire – one from Alton and the other from Basingstoke - were on duty at Tongham Motor Club when the accident happened. They were on the scene within 30 seconds and found Christopher in a serious condition in the driver’s seat.

They carefully removed his helmet and Steven Fish, from Alton, climbed into the back of the crumpled mini to hold Christopher’s head in line with his spine.

It was a delicate operation that lasted well over an hour. The St John team continued to reassure Christopher that he would be ok and established a 'thumbs up, thumbs down' system of communication.

David Harrison, Commander of St John Ambulance, said the team deserved the recognition: ‘The men and women involved in this rescue are volunteers who demonstrated immense skill and professionalism. They saved a young boy’s life and we are all immensely proud of them.’

Picture shows (back row from left) Richard Coleman, Keith Patching, Steven Fish, (front row from left) Rebecca Pither-Townley, Zoe James, Elaine Dowling.