THE cool actions of two young children probably saved their mother’s life after she had a major epileptic fit.

Debbie Watson fell unconscious at her home in Thornley, near Peterlee, County Durham, last Thursday (November 27) afternoon after collecting 5-year-old Emma and Ryan, 7, from school.

The youngsters had never seen her have a fit before but they had the presence of mind to place her in the recovery position and ring 999 for an ambulance as their father had taught them.

Ryan made the call and spoke to the call handler and ambulance personnel while his sister made Mrs Watson safe and stayed with her, checking she was still able to breathe.

Mrs Watson , 27, was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham and was able to return home after being monitored for five hours.

She said: “I was fitting for over an hour and the ambulance men said if the children hadn’t been there and I hadn’t got to hospital, I probably wouldn’t have

“Their Dad is a first responder and has always taught them what to do , but I didn’t think they would ever do it.

“I had just got back in the house after collecting them from school. I totally blacked out and went unconscious

“It is not supposed to go on longer than three to five minutes.. They had no help around them.

“I came round but I was still fitting while I was conscious, which is a first for me.

“The ambulance was there within minutes.

“The children gave all the details that they needed to and put me in the recovery position to make sure I was safe.

“My daughter is only five but she sat next to me and made sure I was still breathing, checking my airways and the whole time my son stayed on the phone and spoke to two lots of ambulance crew.

“They said they had never spoken to a child who stayed so calm while something like that was going on.”

Mrs Watson, who was diagnosed an epileptic two years ago said she and her husband Jonathan, who was at work at the time, are so proud of their children.

“We have bought them some ea couple of toys and they’ll probably be getting something extra for Christmas.”.