Three children from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, were honoured with bravery awards on January 27, 2026, after their calm and quick response to a medical emergency helped save a man’s life on the local seafront. The youngsters, aged between 9 and 12, discovered a 54-year-old man who had collapsed and was unresponsive near Marine Parade on December 21, 2025.
The children immediately called 999 and used local landmarks to guide the ambulance to their exact location. While waiting for help to arrive, they stayed on the phone with the emergency dispatcher and monitored the man’s breathing, following the guidance they had been taught in school.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) presented the group with Young Hero certificates and Ambulance Hero medals during a ceremony at the Clacton Ambulance Station. Paramedics praised the children for their composure, saying their clear directions allowed crews to reach the patient much faster than if he had remained undiscovered.
The man was discharged from Colchester Hospital and has reportedly met the children privately to thank them for their help.
Local educators say the incident underlines the importance of the 2020 change to the national school curriculum requiring basic first aid and emergency-response teaching for pupils.
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