SCHOOLS across the region are being urged to join a world record attempt that will help save lives.

The East of England Ambulance Service is backing the ‘Kids Save Lives’ campaign to teach hundreds of schoolchildren CPR.

It is to support European Restart a Heart Day.

A CPR world record attempt will be attempted on Tuesday, October 18, led by The Resuscitation Council with support from The British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross, St John Ambulance and ambulance services across the country.

Wendy Risdale-Barrs, a community collaboration manager for EEAST, said: “A cardiac arrest - when someone is unconscious and not breathing - is the highest priority call for the ambulance service and the target is to reach a patient within eight minutes.

"However, every second counts and the chances of survival are greatly improved if someone can do effective CPR before the arrival of community first responders and ambulance staff.

“This is why it is so important that everyone knows what to do if they find someone in cardiac arrest. We are looking forward to training schoolchildren and we hope this is a life-saving skill they remember for life and go on to spread the word with their families.”

The aim is to train more than 100,000 young people across the country on how to perform CPR on Restart a Heart Day.

To find out more about getting involved in Restart a Heart Day, visit www.resus.org.uk/events/rsah2016/ To get involved email wendy-jean.risdale@eastamb.nhs.uk.