A MOTHER has paid tribute to a ‘brilliant’ ambulance call handler after she successfully revived her dying baby with his help.

Jasmin Legg, 39, of Lent Green Lane, Burnham, breathed life into her dying four-week-old baby Zachary, by performing CPR for eight minutes after he suddenly stopped breathing on Friday, November 24.

Mrs Legg said: “He had a cold all that week – on Friday morning he didn’t look too good, I took his temperature and it was 32.7 Celcius, which I have now learnt is dangerously low.

“I called a doctor, and was told to go to A and E. But a split second after I got off the phone he was lying on the bed looking blue. I picked him up and and he flopped in my hands – I thought he was dead.”

Mrs Legg immediately called the ambulance service, and with the guidance of call handler Darren Bradley, of South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), performed CPR on her son until he began breathing on his own again four minutes later.

Mrs Legg said: “It was the longest eight minutes of my life.

“Darren was brilliant, he was constantly guiding me, as I have never done CPR before. He saved Zachary.”

Zachary was taken to Wexham Park Hospital for treatment, and was quickly transferred to Southampton Hospital’s intensive care unit, where he remained for five days. He was diagnosed with a serious case of Bronchiolitis, a respiratory tract infection.

Mrs Legg said: “Its very common in babies, but it’s rare to have it to Zachary’s extent.”

Mrs Legg’s husband arranged a surprise meeting between her and the call handler who saved their son’s life. Mrs Legg said: “It was really nice to meet Darren and say thank you, as these people don’t get enough thanks for what they do.”

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bradley said: “When the call comes through, you think ‘God...’ Inside you’re screaming, but you have to stay calm.

“You have to reflect that to the caller as well, to make sure they stay calm, ensure that they are listening to you, make sure they do everything you are telling them, because the reason we are doing that is because we need to help them before the ambulance arrives.”

Zachary has since gone on to make a full recovery.

Mrs Legg had revived him, under instruction from Mr Bradley, by covering his nose and mouth with her mouth and breathing into him. After a while his chest began to rise.