Joshua Youngs from Ipswich is honoured by Princess Royal

Joshua Youngs, a cadet at St John Ambulance went into "auto-pilot" mode after he and his mother heard screaming coming from outside their Ipswich house last November. 

Kirsty Youngs, who is a former midwife and now an emergency worker, got her response kit and when the pair arrived at their neighbours' house they found her slumped over a sofa chair, her skin blue and struggling to breathe. 

Kirsty and Joshua Youngs from Ipswich (Image: PA)

Joshua started CPR on the woman while his mum rang emergency services. 

He said: "What happened was (the neighbour) had a cardiac arrest and was slumped over the side of the sofa chair.

“I did my primary survey and checked the danger on the floor so I cleared some room on the floor.

“As most people would be, I was a little bit nervous just before starting CPR, but that was more just being in a strange environment.

“But it was kind of like I went into autopilot mode everything just came naturally.

“I had practised CPR on a dummy loads of times in training but this was different.

“I didn’t question it, though, I didn’t have time, so I just got on and did it."

And now a year on, Joshua, who is hoping to become a neurosurgeon, was honoured along with other young lifesavers at the St John Ambulance’s annual Young Achievers awards on Wednesday in London.

The 16-year-old said it was an honour being recognised by the Princess Royal and attributed his life-saving skills to St John Ambulance.

He said: “St John was absolutely amazing. I would recommend it to many people, it’s definitely something that people should take up.

“You never would think I would have to do CPR but all of a sudden it was my neighbour, but it could honestly be anyone.”