A quick thinking teacher has been praised for her life-saving actions after she came to the rescue of a pupil with a defibrillator.

Sophie Demain, 27, of Ashwell Street, St Albans, teaches PE at Lea Manor School in Luton and received an award at the Royal College of Nursing on Saturday.

In December last year Sophie was walking to the main school building when a group of frantic pupils came to get her.

A 15 year old pupil, Rahul, had collapsed, and Sophie and a colleague quickly assessed him, started CPR and called for the defibrillator, which was only installed the week before.

Sophie said: “Rahul had a total of four shocks, two from us and then again on the way to hospital and when he arrived. It looked very unlikely that he was going to live.”

After being in an induced coma and in hospital for a number of weeks, Rahul came round and sat his GCSEs in the summer, achieving brilliant results.

Sophie said: “I know every establishment should have a defibrillator on the premises; chances of survival without one are minimal.

“I cannot express my thankfulness to my school for putting me on the training course and buying one.

“Rahul would not be with us today and I would have struggled to comprehend a student life being taken while in a PE lesson.”

After being nominated by Rahul’s family, Sophie went to a ceremony on Saturday to collect her award.

She said: “I feel extremely proud. When teaching you hope nothing goes wrong like this.

“I love my job and I am glad that my passion for the protection for all the students I teach just took over. The award does mean a lot to me, but Rahul’s life means more. I know he will appreciate each day and strive forward.

“He has made me realise how precious life is and the importance of sound training at schools.”