LISTEN: Harrowing moment hero call handler talks brave mum through CPR to bring her dying baby back to life

Darren Bradley was doing his usual daily routine as a call handler for South Central Ambulance Service, which covers Bucks and Oxfordshire, when one the most important calls of his career was patched through to him.

Jasmin Legg, 39, has released audio footage of the fraught conversation between her and Darren, who talked her through how to resuscitate her baby, Zachary.

The tot was only four weeks old when he suddenly stopped breathing, after having a low temperature.

During the phone call, Jasmin performed CPR for eight minutes under the instruction of the call handler.

Jasmin said: “Zachary had a cough and a cold and his older brother Joshua had it the week before.

“I just thought he caught it from his brother.

“I took him to the doctor who noticed mucus on his chest, but said to sit it out.

“On the Friday morning I didn’t think he looked well but his temperature was 32.7 Celsius - which I now know is dangerously near death.”

Jasmin called her GP and was told to take the baby to A&E, but when she turned around moments later she noticed Zachary was lying on the bed and had turned blue.

She said: “When I looked at the baby he just looked blue and he flopped in my hands.

“I thought he was dead.”

In a state of panic, Jasmin dialled 999 and was put through to Darren who told to cover Zachary’s nose and mouth with her own mouth and breath into him.

After a while his chest began to rise.

Jasmin carried on performing CPR until he began to breathe independently, four minutes later.

She added: “It was the longest eight minutes of my life.

“Darren was brilliant, he was constantly guiding me, as I have never done CPR before.

“He saved Zachary.”

Paramedics were able to raise Zachary’s breathing from five breaths a minute, to 28.

When an ambulance arrived, he was rushed to Wexham Park Hospital for treatment, before being transferred to Southampton Hospital’s intensive care unit.

He was diagnosed with a serious case of bronchiolitis, a respiratory tract infection and kept in ICU for five days before returning home to Burnham, Bucks.

Jasmin said: “Its very common in babies, but it’s rare to have it to Zachary’s extent.”

She was delighted when her husband David, 41, arranged a surprise meeting between her and Darren, who helped save her son’s life on November 24.

The grateful mum added: “It was really nice to meet Darren and say thank you, as these people don’t get enough thanks for what they do.

“I saved his life and by doing what they told me, the mucus was blown away from whatever it was blocking.”