A quick-thinking student nurse leaped into action to resuscitate a woman who went into cardiac arrest during a night out at the theatre.

Kristian Keyte, who works part-time at Weston General Hospital, received a standing ovation after Judith Mansfield began breathing again and was taken away in an ambulance.

Kristian, aged 24, was waiting to watch The Bodyguard at the Bristol Hippodrome when he noticed Beverley Bishop in the row in front of him looking distressed.

Kristian said: “I don’t really know why I noticed her – we were just waiting for the show to start but there was something that didn’t seem quite right. I went down to make sure everything was alright.

“Her mum was unresponsive and not breathing.

“I rushed over to her and checked her airways and I could see that she had agonal breathing, which is where there is some movement but not enough to sustain life.

“With the help of others we lifted her out of her seat and on to the floor so that I could reassess her breathing.

“I would estimate that the time of arrest to start of resuscitation at less than a minute.”

Kristian performed CPR on Ms Mansfield, aged 71, and a theatre defibrillator brought her pulse back.

With the help of volunteers from St John Ambulance, she regained consciousness.

Kristian said: “This is just part of what we do being a nurse. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“The media interest has been incredible and everyone is supporting me at the university and at Weston General Hospital, where I work part time on the bank as a healthcare assistant.

“I have been in touch with Judith’s family and I’m really pleased to say that she is doing well.”

Kristian, who lives in Weston-super-Mare, became a healthcare assistant six years ago.

He is studying to be a nurse at University of the West of England in Bristol, following in his father and grandmother’s footsteps.

He added: “I cannot express enough how important it is that people know basic first aid. As that night shows, it does save people’s lives.”

After the show, X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, who was starring in The Bodyguard, asked to meet Kristian and the St John Ambulance volunteers.

Ms Bishop said: “The entire family – my dad, sister, three grandchildren and sons-in-law – are eternally grateful to Kristian and everyone else who helped, including St John Ambulance, who were on hand, and the ambulance crew. It could have been a very different story.”