A MUM has issued her heartfelt thanks to quick-thinking first aiders after her two-year-old daughter collapsed.

Gillian Askew, 31, was distraught when her youngest child Millie turned grey and became unresponsive following a family supermarket trip in Colne.

Several passers-by stepped in to help the youngster alongside her dad Stewart until paramedics arrived in North Valley Road.

Lifeguard Billy Priestley, who works at Pendle Leisure Centre, was driving past in his van when he saw the stricken child and her parents.

Mr Priestley, 27, a central defender for Salford City, said: “Her mum said she wasn’t breathing so I said I was a first aider and asked what I could do.

“I just tried to keep everybody calm and placed her in the recovery position while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.

“I’ve spoken to her mum since and it seems like she’s on the mend.”

A retired nurse, named locally as Elaine Heaton, was also on hand to assist, as was a passing family friend, Aidy Lamb, who called 999.

He kept up communication with Mr Priestley, passing on advice from an emergency operator, until paramedics arrived. The incident happened on Monday morning.

Millie was taken to Airedale Hospital, near Skipton, where she was kept in for observation overnight, before being allowed home yesterday.

Doctors believed she may have suffered a ‘febrile convulsion’, a seizure which can occur when a young child has a fever.

Mum-of-two Mrs Askew, of Slater Avenue, said: “There was no warning of any problems. Millie had been hanging off the trolley when we were shopping and just seemed fine.

“We were just going past Lord Street Primary School when my husband turned around and started saying ‘Millie, Millie’.

“She had gone grey and was foaming at the mouth.

“It appeared that she was having some kind of fit.

“I thought she might be choking so we pulled over on the roundabout and we laid her on the ground, on a coat, which was when everyone arrived and started helping.”

Millie is now back home and playing with older brother Jake, five, but her mum initially feared the worst.

Mrs Askew added: “Billy was an absolute godsend and everyone was really great.

“I just can’t thank them enough. I honestly thought Millie was dying and they had to do their best to keep me calm.

“Stewart is a part-time firefighter and a first-aider as well so they were both going through all the checks together.

“You can’t put into words how grateful I am.”

An NHS Choices spokesman said: “It can be distressing to see a child having a seizure, particularly if it’s their first one.”

“However the fits are usually harmless and almost all children make a complete recovery afterwards.”