London Ambulance Service: Bexleyheath twins save man's life

Twins Angie and Steve Mills, 51, do not usually work together

Twins who saved a man's life while working for the London Ambulance Service said that it felt "even more special" because they did it together.

Angie Mills normally works as a 999 call handler but was shadowing a frontline crew in the same ambulance as her brother, Steve.

The 51-year-old twins, from Bexleyheath, south-east London, saved the man after he went into cardiac arrest.

Ms Mills delivered the lifesaving CPR.

Having previously only instructed people to perform chest compressions over the phone, Ms Mills said she felt comfortable performing CPR because she was "doing it next to my brother, and we are so close".

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"I've instructed people who have called 999 many times before, but I had never needed to resuscitate someone myself.

"Steve kept saying to me, 'you're doing a great job, the timing is perfect, the depth of the compressions is great'."

'Powerful memories'

The moment was more meaningful because the pair lost their father, Hugh, to cardiac arrest when he was 61 — a similar age to the man they saved.

"It brought back some powerful memories," Ms Mills added. "I thought about the fact that my Dad didn't get to enjoy retirement, he was still working when he passed.

"It made me think about how precious life is and how I should enjoy it more."

The brother and sister, pictured as children, lost their father to cardiac arrest

The late Mr Mills died 21 years ago before either of his children had joined the London Ambulance Service.

The younger Mr Mills said: "When I first started my job I always dreaded getting sent to a cardiac arrest."

"I didn't know how I would cope with that type of job because of the way my dad had died.

"Now, I am more confident as I know that I will try my absolute hardest to save that person."

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