Northampton girl, aged seven, saves sister's life

A seven-year-old Northampton schoolgirl who saved her sister's life has been presented with an award for her bravery.

Hannah Pavitt, of Preston Hedges Primary School in Wootton, dialled 999 in April when her older sister lost the feeling in her body, started slurring her speech and suffered a loss of vision.

The East Midlands Ambulance Service yesterday awarded the selfless pupil with the Laverick honour which “recognises young persons of courage” in the area.

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Mum, Amanda Pavitt, said: “I remember my eldest daughter, Aimee, telling me that she didn’t feel very well. She was really hot and light-headed, so I sat her down on the toilet and she said she couldn’t see. I automatically thought she was having a stroke.

“I shouted to Hannah to give her granny and grandad a ring to alert them, but when Aimee started to slur her speech I knew Hannah needed to ring 999 for me.”

The brave schoolgirl, who is only one of five-under 18s in the East Midlands area to receive the Laverick award, relayed vital information from paramedics on the phone to mum Amanda, who was upstairs comforting the poorly teen.

Hannah was told that she needed to tell her mum to carry Aimee from the floor to the bed so she could comfortably prop her legs in the air.

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While on the phone, Hannah had to let her grandad in the house and lock away the family dog so it didn’t intervene with the paramedics when they arrived at the house.

Speaking to the Chronicle and Echo, Hannah said: “I was really nervous on the phone. The paramedics asked me how old I was, what was wrong with my sister and where I lived.”

Doctors eventually told Amanda that Aimee was suffering from high hormone and thyroid levels and is now treating her condition with medication.

Paramedic Anya Donald, who treated Aimee on her second admission to hospital, presented the award to Hannah while in a special Year Three assembly with her classmates.

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She said: “The Laverick team of East Midlands Ambulance Service present awards to children who have shown bravery, it’s a really special award and not many people have got this.

The award is named after a former paramedic, Nick Laverick, who died of cancer. He was an all-around amazing person and we wanted to do something in his legacy so his boys could be proud. He was a man of integrity.”

To congratulate Hannah further, the ambulance service also arranged for heroes to meet her heroes Chris and Xand from popular CBBC programme, Operation Ouch.

The duo filmed with Hannah earlier this year and her story is set to appear in the next series.

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