A YOUNG mechanic performed life-saving first aid on a semi-conscious student who was choking on a sandwich. Mick Pelling dug the food from the girl's mouth as she lay face-down gasping for air during a suspected fit.

But the modest hero says he did what anyone would have done - and he can't even remember her full name.

The KM Group's Kentish Gazette newspaper is now trying to trace the student, who tracked Mr Pelling to his work, gave him a box of chocolates and called him a "one-in-a-million."

Mr Pelling, 22, an exhaust and tyre fitter at Kwik Fit in Wincheap, Canterbury, said: "All I know is her name is Jules. She came to the yard and said thank-you for saving her but I don't know any more about her."

The mechanic, from Strangers Lane, Canterbury, was walking past Canterbury East railway station when he saw a girl fall face-down on the footbridge over the ring road.

Having learned first aid in the Army, he ran to her rescue.

"I realised she was in a bad way," he said. "I thought she was having an epileptic fit so I dialled 999. I realised she was choking on a sandwich and couldn't breath so I dug it out of her mouth and lay her in the recovery position. She couldn't really speak - she was barely conscious."

An ambulance crew arrived within minutes and took the girl to hospital. But Mr Pelling didn't leave it there. He then walked up to the hospital to check on her condition.

"She was awake and talking," he said. "I think they'd taken a couple of x-rays. She told me her name was Jules and said thank-you for saving her. I was glad to see she was OK and left."

Several days later, though, the student appeared at Mr Pelling's work with a box of chocolates and a card, which said: "Thanks for what you did for me. You're one-in-a-million."

Mr Pelling said: "It was really nice of her but I just did what I hope most people would have done."

A spokesman for the East Kent NHS Trust confirmed that an 18-year-old student called Julie was taken by ambulance to K&C on October 16, having choked during a suspected epileptic fit.

Are you Julie? Do you think you know who she is? If you can help please contact Chris Pragnell at the Kentish Gazette at 9 St George's Place, Canterbury, phone 01227 475 or email cpragnell@thekmgroup.co.uk