South Yorkshire woman saves mum's life

Rebecca Hallas who saved the life of her mum ellen when she became ill at work at Kostal UK Ltd in Goldthorpe, Rotherham, last December. Picture Scott Merrylees

Ellen Hallas was working on the production line at Kostal UK Ltd, in Goldthorpe, near Rotherham, last December when she collapsed.

Her daughter Rachel leapt into action, performing CPR to try to resuscitate Ellen, before helping colleagues use a defibrillator to get her heart beating again.

The 25-year-old continued CPR until her mother started breathing again, before paramedics arrived and took over.

Ellen, aged 50, of Thurnscoe in Barnsley, spent five weeks in hospital and was fitted with a device which automatically shocks her heart into action if it stops beating. She is now on the mend and hopes to return to work soon.

But without the actions of team leader Rachel and her colleagues at the electrical manufacturing firm, Hilary South, Gavin Haynes and Paul Saunders, it could have been a very different story.

Rachel, also from Thurnscoe, attends medical emergencies in her neighbourhood as a qualified community first responder with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, but she never expected to have to use her training to help her own mother.

“I went into autopilot when I saw mum had collapsed. When I began as a community first responder I didn’t know if I would be able to attempt CPR on anyone, never mind a close family member,” she said.

“I’m really glad I had those skills and knew what to do as I don’t think my mum would still be here if I hadn’t.

“It was the scariest moment in my life when I realised it was my mum, and the best moment ever when she started breathing again.”

Rachel and her life-saving workmates were recognised by the ambulance service at the company’s base for their life-saving actions.

Emma Scott, community defibrillation officer at YAS, said: “Rachel’s swift action, calmness and bravery when faced with the collapse of her own mother are things she should be incredibly proud of.”