THE first aid skills 16-year-old Christopher Crimes learned as a sea cadet and with the Army have prevented his father from choking to death. Nicholas Crimes had swallowed his tongue and was gasping for air.

Christopher, together with his mother Sarah, held him tightly and slapped his back until he began breathing steadily and the colour returned to his face. Christopher then laid him in the recovery position and ensured his airway was clear.

"I'm so proud of him," said Mrs Crimes, of Castlemere Avenue, Queenborough, Sheppey. "I wouldn't have known what to do. Nick was making gurgling noises and his mouth was full of blood as a result of biting his tongue.

"Chris stayed absolutely calm, and was working on him all the time while I called the ambulance. He was following all the correct procedures he'd learned on first aid courses in the Sea Cadets and the Army."

Mr Crimes, who works at Marley, Lenham, was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital. He said: "I was released after a couple of hours and have since been treated for a tongue infection which started as a result of me biting it so hard. They tell me I was 'out of it' for at least 15 minutes. I'm just glad that Chris was around and that he knew what to do."

Christopher, who is at present on an Army course in Folkestone, learned first aid with the Army and during his time with Sheppey Sea Cadets.

His mother said: "He's been a cadet since he was 11. It's been the making of him. He was a bit of a tearaway before he went into uniform. It's given him a sense of worth and he's waiting to make the Navy his career.