Checkouts colleague Sam from Asda Keighley leaps to the rescue to save life of choking baby

Checkouts colleague and mum of seven Sam Dissell leapt into action to save the life of a six-month-old baby who was choking in our Keighley store.

Seeing that the child was turning white and struggling to breathe, trained first aider Sam scooped him up from his mum's arms, turned him upside down and patted him forcefully on the back to free the piece of food which had become lodged in his throat.

Sam, who's 38 and his worked at the store for nine years, said: "I was working on self scans and I turned round to see this woman panicking and patting her baby on the back and shouting for someone to call an ambulance.

"I just took over as he was choking and going white. I picked him up and turned him upside down and gave him a good pat on the back until whatever it was came out. Basically I just gave him first aid – I just got on with it.

"Thankfully the baby was fine afterwards and breathing. It was scary, but I'm just glad he was alright. I'm so happy that he's alive.

"The mum was very thankful and a little shaken up too. She came back in the next day to give me some flowers."

Sam, who's married to Sebastian and has children aged from 21 to six, said: "Choking is one of my worst fears; it's something that I've always been conscious of."

Store manager Mark Corps, who has nominated Sam for an Asda service superstar award, said: "Samantha just jumped straight in, didn't panic and did what she did. She saved that child's life and we are all super proud of her. It could have been catastrophic.

"She's bright, bubbly, hard working with a good sense of humour and always goes above and beyond."

And the store's community champion Suzie Ramsbotham said: "The mum was so grateful and couldn’t thank Sam enough. Other colleagues nearby said she just acted without hesitation and was amazing."

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