An off-duty ambulance manager saved a woman’s life after she suffered a heart attack while eating at a Hungry Horse near Weston.

Natalie Jenkins, the duty control manager for Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust, was enjoying a meal with her family when a woman at a nearby table was taken ill.

Natalie, aged 38, carried out life-saving CPR and managed the situation, including caring for the woman’s frightened children, until paramedics arrived and the patient was taken to hospital.

The pair had both been dining at the Catherine’s Inn, run by the national chain, in Bleadon when the patient became unwell.

Natalie noticed and offered her some water and help.

She said: “I could see she was grey in colour. She was sweating and looked rather unwell.

“I managed to get all the children away from the scene and due to her looking clammy I suggested she would like to her remove her jumper.

“So we took her jumper off and then as she sat up, she just lost complete consciousness.”

Natalie, who lives in Treowen in Newbridge, used her CPR training to save the woman’s life.

She added: “The adrenaline was running and I literally just carried on with what I was doing.

“I just took control and gave everyone instructions and told someone to ring 999. I checked with the staff whether they had any form of defibrillator.

“I am glad I have done my first aid training because it is quite nice to know I had actually helped somebody and saved somebody.

“I was just in the right place at the right time.”

She is calling on more people to learn CPR and not be frightened of carrying it out and hurting someone, should they need help.

She said: “I understand why people do not want to give mouth-to-mouth to someone you do not know, but at the time you really do not give it a second’s thought.

“And if somebody accidentally broke my rib but saved my life, I would not mind that happening as a side-effect.

“My family are proud of me and I suppose I am proud of myself too. I must say, though, I did need a large glass of gin afterwards.”

St John Ambulance provides advice on giving CPR, emergency first aid and using defibrillators.

For more information, visit the St John Ambulance website.