CHARLIE McPherson cannot remember a thing about his life being saved.

But he's making sure he's ready to leap into action should anyone need his help.

The 11-year-old pupil at Witney Community Primary School was at the town's community hospital to learn life-saving techniques through the county's Imps scheme (Injury Minimization Programme for Schools).

Charlie was just three when his older brother, Richard Guest, then ten, saved him from choking to death in the bath at their home in Witney.

Richard had just been on the Imps course at Witney hospital and saw his brother had stopped breathing.

He immediately slapped Charlie on the back and, on the fifth slap, a bar of soap came bursting out of his mouth.

Charlie said: "I don't remember a thing about it, but I was told all about it. I'm glad he went on the course because he saved my life. Learning stuff that could save someone's life is really important.

"You could be walking down the street with some of your mates and one of them might suddenly collapse. Now I've got the skills which could help."

Two years ago, 11-year-old Aroosah Khan used first aid learned on an Imps course to help her mother when she fell down stairs during an epileptic fit. Aroosah, then a pupil at St Francis School in Horspath Road, Oxford, put her mother into the recovery position and called 999.

Imps was set up in 1994 to teach children how to avoid accidents and give them basic first aid skills. More than 100 schools in the county are involved with the scheme based at the John Radcliffe, Horton, Abingdon and Witney hospitals.

Co-ordinator Lynn Pilgrim said: "We are now teaching about 4,200 children a year when they reach Year Six.

"It can be vitally important, as was the case with Charlie when he was a small boy. Now he's followed in the footsteps of the brother who saved his life."

Another brother William, six, is also a pupil at Witney Community Primary School, which sent 24 children for a morning session at the hospital after work in the classroom.

Apart from CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation), the children learned basics like calling for help, making sure they themselves are safe, and how to deal with a 999 call.

Oxfordshire Imps is looking for people to run the London Marathon for its funds. Call Debbie Lock on 01865 743476, or email imps@orh.nhs.uk