A Twickenham student has been praised after using life-saving CPR skills taught by his mum to help a stranger who collapsed while he was on holiday.

James Bird, 20, was travelling in Europe by train when the emergency alarm was sounded.

As the train stopped at the next station, James rushed to help a woman who had collapsed and was no longer breathing.

Recognising she was in cardiac arrest, James immediately began chest compressions on the station platform until paramedics arrived.

Speaking afterwards, James said: "It can be quite scary being involved in a big emergency like that. You have to remain calm and what you remember from the training kicks in.

"I was so focused on the patient and performing chest compressions that it took a few minutes for me to realise that the paramedics had even arrived.

"People can often stand around to watch and not act. I tell my friends if they come across a situation like that how important it is to step in and help."

James had learned CPR just a few months earlier from his mum, Claire Bird, a community resuscitation trainer with London Ambulance Service's London Lifesavers team. He had joined one of the team's pop-up training sessions.

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Claire said: "I'm an incredibly proud mum. I'm so happy that my training has given him the confidence to try to save someone's life. He gave her every chance of a positive outcome."

The London Ambulance Service is now calling for more people to learn CPR.

With 76 per cent of cardiac arrests happening at home, the charity says that knowing these skills could mean saving the life of someone you love.

In September, the London Lifesaver Schools Programme will resume, offering free CPR and defibrillator training to Year 8 students across the capital.

The team will also be running training sessions at the London Life Hike, which takes place in Southwark Park next month to raise funds for life-saving defibrillators.

James added: "It's so important that we create a city of Lifesavers. The training my mum gave me was really great – and anyone can learn how to save a life. You just never know when you might need these skills."

READ MORE: £9.3m Twickenham Civic Centre revamp to begin this week.

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