Hero boy, 2, saves mum's life by dialling 999 after she collapsed from rare heart condition

Toddler Joshua Brookes kept his nerve after mum Isobel collapsed unconscious at home.

The youngster picked up a telephone and called the emergency services, telling an operator: "Mummy won't wake up."

Police operator Paula Hall told the toddler to shake his mum and the line went quiet as he went away to try to rouse her.

Moments later, Joshua returned and - becoming frightened - said: "It hasn't worked."

Paula struggled to get him to reveal his name, even asking what name Father Christmas put on his presents, but in the end, police used the phone number to track his address.

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They then sent help to the boy's home in Wigan, while the operator tried to keep him calm and told him to open the front door for the police. When they arrived, Joshua used a box to stand on and reached the door handle to let them in.

Police found Isobel, 30, who suffers from a rare heart condition, unconscious.

The mum-of-two was revived and awoke to see paramedics standing over her. She was taken to hospital and made a full recovery.

Today, Joshua was hailed a life-saving hero after details were revealed for the first time.

Back at home in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Isobel said she had taught both Joshua, now three, and his older sister Amy, six, how to dial 999 in an emergency as soon as they could talk because her heart condition makes her prone to passing out.

She said: "Amy has done it before, but she was at school this time. I didn't know anything about it until I woke up with a paramedic standing over me.

"Joshua did really well. I'm really proud of him."

Operator Paula Hall, who took Joshua's 999 call, has been to visit him to tell him: "Well done."

Paula, 44, a mum who has been taking calls for the police for 12 years, said: "I knew he was very young, but I was shocked when I found out he was two. I could tell he was very frightened, but he was very brave in the circumstances. He stayed quite calm.

"He was saying he couldn't wake mummy up. I asked him to see if he could rouse her, but he couldn't.

"I couldn't get his name and asked which name Father Christmas put on his presents.

"I told him that someone would be coming to the door to help, but I was worried that he wouldn't be able to answer it.

"I was very pleased when I heard an adult voice and knew the officers had got there."

Paula added: "He's a little character."

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