A SIXTH form pupil has spoken about the moment he saved the life of a man who collapsed in the Victoria Centre - despite having no prior first aid experience.

Josh Townend, a year 13 pupil at Ysgol John Bright, who is hoping to become one of the youngest trainee Special Constables in North Wales, was involved in saving the man's life on Sunday, October 20.

The 18-year-old of from Penrhyn Bay, was working at the Sweet Emporium shop in the Llandudno shopping centre when the incident happened.

Speaking to the Pioneer, Josh said: "I was first aware that there was an incident in the shop opposite to where I was working when a woman ran into the Sweet Emporium announcing to my supervisor [Sue Simpson] and myself that a man had collapsed with no pulse.

"I rushed into You Know Who's, the shop where the gentleman collapsed.

"When I entered, I saw people attempting to aid the unconscious gentleman.

"I asked the staff in the shop if anyone had called paramedics and I was told they were on the phone to them. I then asked if anyone had retrieved the defibrillator.

"Realising that no one had yet got the defibrillator, I sprinted out of the shop and bumped into Melanie Derbyshire [the manger of the centre for that day].

"I was told it was kept in the office upstairs. I quickly went up to retrieved it and made my way back down the stairs as fast as possible, as I knew time was of the essence, and back to the shop."

North Wales Pioneer:

Josh is a part time sales assistant in the Sweet Emporium

Josh, a part time sales assistant in the Sweet Emporium who has worked there since April, asked people to help him lay the gentleman on his back and unbuttoned his shirt.

"As I was setting up the defibrillator, I asked if anyone in the room had previously used one," he said.

"We quickly came to the conclusion that nobody had prior experience. A man helping in the situation assisted me in applying the shock pads.

"I then asked for the phone and spoke to the paramedics. The machine informed me it was analyzing the gentleman's heart rate to see if a shock was required.

"The paramedic on the phone helped to walk me through the correct use. The defibrillator advised a shock and so I asked everyone to remove their hands from the gentleman as as I issued the shock."

Josh, who is studying Public Services, Business Studies, Welsh Baccalaureate at John Bright and has already completed his Applied Science Level 3 BTEC, was helped by another man present.

"He began chest compressions and did an amazing job at keeping rhythm with mine," Josh explained.

"With help from the shop staff, we moved clothes railings to clear a pathway through the shop.

"Paramedics then arrived. I removed the equipment I used and helped lift him onto the stretcher before paramedics took him to the ambulance."

This was Josh's first and only experience in using a defibrillator.

A spokesperson from Ysgol John Bright said: "Josh was working in a shop in the Victoria Centre when a man in the shop opposite stopped breathing.

"He kept his calm whilst accessing and using a defibrillator on a recently retired deep-sea diver.

"The gentleman’s brother was so grateful to Josh he gave him his card and asked him to keep in touch.

"He contacted Josh to let him know the gentleman is now off the life support machine and we wish him a speedy recovery."

Speaking about the incident, a Welsh Ambulance Services spokesperson said: “We were called on Sunday (October 20, 2019) at about 2.30pm to reports of a medical emergency at the Victoria Centre in Llandudno.

"We responded with two emergency ambulances, a clinical team leader and were supported by Wales Air Ambulance, where one person was taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital.”