Paul Gardner's memory to live on with CPR sessions

By Kris Jepson

A children's first aid group has offered its services to a North Shields man who wants to promote CPR education following the death of his step son.

Speaking to ITV News Tyne Tees last week, Billy Ions vowed to raise awareness and promote CPR education in schools following the death of his step son, Paul Gardner.

Paul died on his 24th birthday after jumping into the sea and swallowing water. He was the only one of his friends who knew CPR and could not be revived.

The Tumbles and Grumbles children's first aid and CPR group has offered to help Mr Ions achieve his goal.

Watch @krisjepson's report here:

Three weeks after Paul died, Billy Ions attended a session by the group. It teaches three to 11-year-olds the basics in first aid and CPR through teamwork and play.

He told ITV News Paul would have thought it was "class".

The government is planning on introducing compulsory basic first aid training into primary schools and first aid with CPR education into secondary schools from 2020.

The Tumbles and Grumbles group already operates in schools and organisations across the region.

The group says these core life saving skills can easily be taught to younger primary school age children, because they absorb the information when it is delivered in an engaging way.