THE British Heart Foundation has backed a The Bolton News campaign to have life saving skills taught in schools.

A poll of more than 2,000 people in the North West, carried out by the charity, found 83 per believed no one should leave school without this knowledge.

The BHF has now launched a petition urging the Government to enforce the teaching of first aid and CPR in schools.

In February 2013 The Bolton News teamed up with Bolton West MP Julie Hilling to launch the Every School-Leaver a Lifesaver campaign to teach CPR in Bolton schools.

The main aim of the campaign is to ensure a two-hour course is provided teaching pupils what to do if someone is suffering cardiac arrest, choking or bleeding.

Ms Hilling said: “The British Heart Foundation has done a wonderful job in discovering exactly what people here in the North West want schools to teach in relation to emergency life support skills (ELS).

“I have been working with BHF for four years and with The Bolton News for nearly two years campaigning to make every school leaver a life saver and I am proud the British Heart Foundation has now launched a petition calling for CPR to be taught in schools.

“Having the skills to save someone’s life is a crucial part of education and schools in my constituency have been very supportive in teaching young people how to do CPR, to deal with choking and bleeding, to put people in the recovery position and to use defibrillators.”

In December 2013 Rivington and Blackrod School in Horwich became the first in Greater Manchester to receive the Gold CardiacSmart Award, recognising their teaching of CPR to pupils.

Ms Hilling added added: “I would urge everyone here in Bolton West to log onto the British Heart Foundation’s website and sign their petition, helping us to build a nation of lifesavers.”

One in 10 people who have heart attacks outside of hospital in England survive, sometimes because people do not know CPR.

In parts of Norway with a similar policy, up to 25 per cent of people survive a cardiac arrest.

You can sign the petition online at bhf.org.uk/heart-health/nation-of-lifesavers/sign-the-petition or in BHF shops.