PEOPLE in the North West believe children should be taught cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in schools, according to new research by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The BHF polled more than 2,000 people and found that 83 per cent of people in the region thought that children should leave secondary school knowing the life-saving skill.

More than 30,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of hospital, but less than one-in-ten survive – partly because people don’t have the skills or confidence to perform CPR. Survival rates in the UK are much lower than other countries.

In parts of Norway, where children are taught CPR in schools, up to 25 per cent people survive a cardiac arrest.

To improve survival rates, the BHF is calling on people to visit their local BHF shop to sign a petition urging the Government to ensure that all children are taught life-saving CPR in schools.

Debbie Boylen, regional manager of the charity, said: “Lives are lost every day because people do not have the skills to act in a life-threatening situation.

“We believe that every child should leave school knowing how to perform CPR. That’s why we need people to go into their local shop, sign the petition, and help create a nation of lifesavers.

“Children learn many lessons in school but what is more important than knowing how to save a life?”

People can sign the petition by going into their local shop and asking a member of staff.