Teenage cadet hailed a hero

A St John Ambulance cadet has won praise after using his first aid skills to look after a driver whose car span out of control and rolled over at a roundabout in north Hampshire.

Reassurance

Ross Clines, from Hook, was the first person on the scene and went straight over to Jo Miessengrove, 45, who was suffering from shock, cuts and bruises.

The 15-year-old, a cadet at the charity’s Aldershot branch, cleaned the cuts, put an ice pack on her head and gave plenty of reassurance.

‘When I saw the car I thought she would be in a bad way. I sat her down in the back because it was raining. When the ambulance came I gave the crew a handover,’ he said.

His patient said: ‘He was absolutely brilliant. It took a kid to calm me down – if it wasn’t for him I would have cracked up!’

Mum Rita added: ‘He said ‘Mum, that’s Charley’s mum,’ He told me to stop the car and went straight over. I am so proud – he did really well. St John is the thing he excels at!’

Ross, a Year 11 pupil at Robert May School, Odiham, joined St John Ambulance at the age of 10.  He was selected to meet HRH The Princess Royal at the official opening of a youth centre in Farnborough.

He believes all children should learn first aid: ‘It’s so useful. I think it should be taught to children my age. At the end of the day, who’s going to be saving lives when they’re older?

‘I want to say to children it’s something you should learn. If something happens it trains you to be calm in difficult situations.’’

Pat Morris, Commander of St John Ambulance Hampshire, said: ‘Ross showed calm, maturity and real care in the way he looked after his patient. He’s right – every child should learn first aid!

‘We believe that more lives could be saved each year if there were more first aiders like Ross who can make a difference when people need help.’

Children can join St John Ambulance from the age of five – adults are welcome along at any age!

Picture courtesy Surrey Advertiser