A BUCKNELL family which knows all too well the importance of learning lifesaving skills is urging people to get some basic training.

Ian Owen, aged 50, was trained by West Midlands Ambulance Service in CPR and using a defibrillator as part of the Clun Valley Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Scheme.

The scheme is introducing defibrillators to remote communities in the Clun Valley and finding volunteers to be trained.

A few months after completing his training, Ian found himself doing it for real when his sister Mandy, 47, also of Bucknell, collapsed at home during a phone call.

Her cousin at the other end of the phone line rang Ian. There was another cousin at home with Mandy at the time, who called 999 for an ambulance.

“The previous day there had been a defibrillator training session,”

said Ian.

“The defibrillator itself was due to go live the following Wednesday and I had been given it to look after.

“My mobile rang at 7.16pm. It was one of Mandy’s cousins who said she had been on the phone to her when she collapsed. I live just a few streets away from Mandy, so grabbed the defibrillator and went.

“I gave CPR and administered two shocks using the defibrillator, then put her into the recovery position.

“It was all a blur. I put all my training into practice and went into automatic pilot. Within minutes the Community First Responder (CFR) arrived, followed by an ambulance and then the air ambulance.”

Mandy spent the next three weeks in hospitals, including intensive care.

“If the Clun Valley AED Scheme hadn’t started in the first place, Mandy wouldn’t be here,” said Ian.

Ian is now training to be a fullyfledged CFR.