Students and staff tackle 24-hour CPR challenge

Paramedic students will be carrying out CPR for 24 hours straight

Paramedic students and staff will be taking part in a 24-hour CPR challenge to raise money for charity.

The group at Keele University in Staffordshire will be performing the life-saving procedure on a mannequin non-stop from midday on Thursday.

The event has been organised by the university's paramedic society to raise money for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

Student Hannah Standing said they wanted to push themselves while raising funds for an "incredible cause".

"As student paramedics, we see first-hand the importance of rapid response in saving lives, and we wanted to do our part to help keep this vital service running," she said.

'Vital skill'

The university said more than 80 volunteers had signed up and it was hoping to have 144 people in total taking part.

As well as raising money for the charity, which operates three air ambulances, Ms Standing said she wanted to raise awareness of the importance of learning CPR.

She said it was a "vital skill" that could mean the difference between life and death in a medical emergency.

"The more people who know how to perform CPR, the better the chances of saving lives in our communities," she said.