FIRST aid sessions are being held in Abberley to teach people how to save lives.

The initiative is being held by the Neighbourhood Watch, St John Ambulance and the Malvern Hills Community Safety Partnership.

The first session has already been held at Abberley Village Hall where 20 people learnt basic skills to deal with a range of medical emergencies, including choking, severe bleeding and chest pains, along with step-by-step instructions on resuscitating someone who has stopped breathing.

Further sessions will be held in Abberley on January 28 and February 3.

The scheme was the idea of John Lakeman, chairman of the Teme Valley area of the Malvern Hills Neighbourhood Watch and the Malvern Hills Community Safety Partnership provided £600 to fund the training.

Mr Lakeman said: "I think the rural nature of our area makes people very aware that first aid is a vital thing to know in case of an emergency. I am very pleased that so many people have signed up. In fact, we have as many people again on the waiting list for training."

Chairman of the Community Safety Partnership, Amanda Smith, said: "First aiders can make the difference between a life lost and a life saved so it’s great to be able to help enable more people to receive training from St John Ambulance.

"In rural communities it can be critical to get prompt first aid as it can take that little bit longer for the emergency services to reach you, so it’s fantastic that so many people have come forward to train as first aiders and support their local communities should they be required."

For more information about St John Ambulance training courses call 0121 237 3879, email west-mids-training@sja.org.uk or visit sja.org.uk.