LIFE savers setting up their stall at Ipswich Library were tested by a real-life drama.When a woman collapsed on the floor just yards away, the four-strong team from Ipswich Lifesaving Club at first thought it was a pre-planned exercise designed to put their skills to the test.

LIFE savers setting up their stall at Ipswich Library were tested by a real-life drama.

When a woman collapsed on the floor just yards away, the four-strong team from Ipswich Lifesaving Club at first thought it was a pre-planned exercise designed to put their skills to the test.

But when her condition failed to ease off, club members Terry Cloud and David Ebbs quickly realised she was having an epileptic fit and jumped into action.

The men piled cushions under her head and monitored her condition until she was able to sit up, but then the fit returned and they decided to call for an ambulance.

Mr Cloud said: "We were just demonstrating how a defibrillator works to a couple of members of library staff when it happened.

"At first I thought it was an act put on for us because that does happen, but she didn't stop and when we touched her she was going rigid.

"David and I spoke to her but it was hard to get any response. We could see it was an epileptic fit, so we put cushions under her head.

"When she sat up a few minutes later she slipped back into the fit, so we called for an ambulance to help and it turned out they knew her as a regular patient."

A spokesman for the East Anglian Ambulance confirmed a 25-year-old woman had been taken to Ipswich Hospital after suffering a fit.

The incident happened at noon on Sunday .

Club members Nicola Humphreys and Helen Reed said the stall was designed to raise awareness of the club's activities, teach life saving techniques, and attract new recruits.

The incident yesterday was an example of how crucial first aid knowledge can be needed at any time, and if you want to find out more, call Ipswich Life Saving Club on 01473 724269.

Weblink: www.ilsc.org.uk.