Home   Dover   News   Article

Dover mum thanks teachers at Green Park Primary School after they helped to save her daughter's life

A mum from Dover has thanked teachers who helped to save her eight-year-old daughter’s life.

Georgina Swan, a pupil at Green Park Primary School in Dover, was watching her brother Elliot, 11, in his Year 6 leavers school production of Willy Wonka on Thursday last week, when she started to choke on a boiled sweet.

She was choking for five agonisingly long minutes on a sweet the size of a 2p piece, when teacher Scott Guy managed to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre and saved her life.

Mum Alex Swan, Georgina Swan, Elliot Swan and dad Nei
Mum Alex Swan, Georgina Swan, Elliot Swan and dad Nei

Her mum Alex Swan, 37, of Natal Road, Dover, saw her daughter had started banging at her throat and choking in the middle of the play.

She stood her up and smacked her back but after several attempts the sweet did not dislodge. She took her outside the hall where assistant head Jo White phoned the ambulance and she was helped by teaching assistants Rachel McGregor and Gary Thresher.

She said: “We were still trying to get it removed and at one point she looked like she was about to pass out.

“I thought she was going to die and we were going to lose her.”

Mr Guy, leader of learning, who is trained in first aid, performed the manoeuvre on her three times and the sweet eventually flew out.

Georgina Swan was saved by her etacher
Georgina Swan was saved by her etacher

The ambulance arrived minutes later and Georgina was taken to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford to be checked over.

Due to the necessary force used in the manoeuvre, Georgina was lucky that she came away without any broken ribs or bruises.

Mrs Swan, a charity worker, who is married to Neil, 40, is urging other parents to make sure they are trained in first aid and she is now going to pay for a course herself.

She said: “If this had happened when I was at home on my own what would I have done?

“If the teacher hadn’t phoned the ambulance when she did, those couple of seconds could have made all the difference.

“Georgina is just a bit shaken up.

“I thought she was going to die and we were going to lose her” - Mum Alex

“She just keeps telling me how much she loves me and she’s so lucky to be here. It scared the life out of her.

“The teachers at Green Park are fantastic. They pretty much saved my daughter’s life.”

Mr Guy said he will be training all Year 6 pupils in basic first aid so that if something similar happens away from school or home then they can help each other.

Georgina returned to school on Friday and gave her teachers a card, chocolates and flowers to say thank you.

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More