SOME 10,000 schoolchildren will receive vital life-saving training today as part of South Central Ambulance Services Restart a Heart efforts.

Ambulance staff, firefighters, and police officers are teaching thousands of children across Oxfordshire CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) as well as how to use a defibrillator.

It is part of International Restart a Heart day hoping to teach young children about first aid, to ensure they know what to do in an emergency situation.

The ambulance service said on average it is called to five patients suffering a cardiac arrest or heart attack every day.

It said for every minute that passes without CPR starting on a person in cardiac arrest, their chance of survival reduces by 10 per cent.

This is why it is hoping to give thousands of children lessons on how to use the life-saving machines and how to provide chest compressions.

The schools taking part today include Abingdon and Witney College, Longfields Primary School in Bicester, Carterton Community College, St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School in Chinnor, Bartholomew School in Eynsham, Gosford Hill School in Kidlington, Wallingford School, and Henry Box School in Witney.