Hero dad on the school run rushes to save 'lifeless' pensioner who collapsed in Fratton

Carpenter John Hoskin leapt into action on Friday afternoon after picking up his eight-year-old son, Harvey, from Newbridge Junior School.

The courageous 44-year-old was approaching the Co-operative shop in New Road when a desperate cry for a ‘first aider’ rang out.

Without a second thought, former volunteer firefighter John rushed over and after seeing the collapsed pensioner wasn’t breathing began performing emergency chest compressions.

Supported by another passerby, who was on the phone to a 999 operator, determined John worked to revive the stricken grandmother, of Dover Road, Copnor.

‘When I first looked down I thought she was dead – she had that lifeless look on her, she was completely lifeless,’ said John, of Apollo Drive, Crookhorn.

‘I started doing chest compressions and was counting. I got to about 45 and she took a massive gasp and then came back to life. It was a massive relief.’

John placed the woman, who The News is not naming, in the recovery position and tried to calm her down until paramedics took over.

The pensioner was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital, in Cosham, where she is recovering.

It is believed she suffered a heart attack and collapsed, hitting her head during the fall.

SEE ALSO: Man accused of raping teen pleads not guilty

John, who has since been thanked by her family for his work in saving her, said he was told she has now been fitted with a pace-maker for her heart.

He added it was his first time using his life-saving skills since learning them during a three-day course about eight years ago.

‘It all must have just stuck in my mind,’ he said. ‘I had never done any first aid like that before but my training just kicked in.

‘It was quite emotional. My adrenaline was pumping. My son was watching too. So I was trying to keep as calm as possible.

‘I’m really pleased that I managed to bring this woman back to life. It’s an amazing feeling. It’s absolutely brilliant.’

John’s lad Harvey said his dad was his personal hero following the drama last week.

Asked if he was proud of his dad, Harvey said: ‘Yes,’ before adding: ‘I didn’t know that he was going to be able to save her.’

Modest John insisted he was only doing what he could and said the real hero was the emergency call handler, who he described as ‘brilliant’.

He added: ‘Everyone keeps telling me I’m a hero but I’d like to think that anyone else would do exactly the same sort of thing if it was my parent or grandparent who collapsed. It’s just nice to help out where you can.’

John is now urging people to learn basic first aid and is calling on for it to be a mandatory lesson in schools.

‘This is a skill that is so simple but it can save someone’s life. I think everyone should learn first aid. They should be teaching it in school,’ he said.

‘You don’t have to be a doctor – just learning basic first aid can save someone’s life. It can make such a difference.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

The News is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as our new Puzzles section.