A woman from Marlborough is due to receive an award after saving a man’s life after he collapsed in Swindon bus station.

Bethanna Branston, 22, of Cherry Orchard, sprang into action when she arrived in Swindon bus station, Carfax Close, in September last year.

Miss Branston said: “I remember walking around the corner and seeing a big group of people crowded round something at the station. I walked across and saw there was a guy lying there on the floor. I’ve worked as a carer before and recognise the signs of someone being dead and recognise the situation. I knew what I had to do and I knew I couldn’t just walk passed and do nothing.

“I asked anyone if they had called the emergency services and they said no so I told someone to call 999. I got down next to him and the person on the phone from the emergency services answered so I started doing CPR. His response wasn’t one I recognised, when I was breathing in it sounded like blowing air across an empty bottle.”

Having had previous care experience whilst working at Coombe End Court in Marlborough, Miss Branston had minimal training in CPR at the time but couldn’t walk passed without trying to help.

“People were just looking at him, no one thought to call 999 or anything. I suppose the adrenaline just kicked in. If I had walked by I would never have been able to forgive myself and in turn I saved a life,” she added.

Since bravely stepping in and saving the man’s life, Miss Branston has been told she will be receiving an award by the Royal Humane Society (RHS).

“After the incident I went on to receive a full first aid training course and I am not qualified for three years. I am not sure exactly when I will be receiving the award, I got a letter saying that I had been chosen to be presented with one,” Miss Branston said.

Miss Branston’s quick actions gained her the praise of Wiltshire Police which wrote a letter of recommendation for her to be presented with the award.

The recommendation read: “Beth was the only person at the scene who actively engaged in any form of care or CPR and there is no doubt that without her actions the male would have died. She had only received minimal first aid training, which had included instructions on how to perform CPR, for her role as a carer, but this was the first occasion on which she had actually performed it.”

Dick Wilkinson, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said: “Swift treatment is vital in situations like this. Thankfully Beth was on the spot and went to the man’s assistance. Put simply, she was the right person in the right place at the right time. There were other people including friends of the man but they stood and watched but did not help. Beth richly deserves the award she is to receive.”