PUPILS at a special educational needs school in Calne learnt how to become lifesavers alongside working paramedics and experts from the British Heart Foundation and Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

More than 70 pupils at Springfield Academy took park in the teacher-led project on Wednesday, March 1, where they spoke to leading paramedics and learnt how to perform CPR.

Oliver Kemp, Springfield Academy's lead healthcare practitioner, said: "All the children really enjoyed it and we got a lot of positive feedback which is great. The kids took away a lot of information about CPR and some were able to do it already, which was great, and some will now be able to do it in the future if they need to and pass it on to their parents.

"It is something different and practical, which is great for children with autism, and I know the guys from the British Heart Foundation and the Air Ambulance are trying to drive a national campaign of getting people to learn CPR."

The practical, which also included a tour of the rapid response vehicles used by Wiltshire Air Ambulance, was part of the Academy's health and safety week, where pupils were able to talk to health care professionals and firefighters.

"The whole event was very successful and we are now looking at doing something like this year on year," Mr Kemp added.