MORE than 100 pupils at a Wollaston school can now class themselves as lifesavers after undergoing an afternoon of CPR training with local emergency services crews.

To mark European Restart a Heart Day, West Midlands Ambulance Service and West Midlands Fire Service visited Ridgewood High School to provide the training to 115 students.

The nationwide event saw 150,000 children and young people trained in lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation training.

If someone suffers a cardiac arrest, their chances of survival double if it happens in front of a bystander who immediately starts CPR before the arrival of paramedics or doctors.

Bev Hodt, assistant headteacher, said: “We were privileged to have the Mayor of Dudley, Cllr Mohammed Hanif, and mayoress Zabeda in attendance, who joined in with the training and handed out certificates and wristbands to group 7R.

“It was a truly unforgettable day.”

The school has also recently installed a defibrillator, which can be found in main reception, after all pupils were made aware of the importance of first aid during their PE and PSHCE lessons.

Ridgewood High School’s Parents Teacher Association raised the funds to purchase the new piece of equipment, which has seen 16 members of staff taught to use by paramedic Lee Farley.