Life-saving off-duty emergency workers were the guests of honour of Prince William at a ceremony celebrating people going above and beyond.

HRH The Duke of Cambridge met with five-year-old Lila Page, who collapsed in The Railway pub in Rainham last March.

The royal engagement event held at Dockhead Fire Station in south London today marking Emergency Services Day saw Lila and her mum Tracey Bell reunited with ambulance technician Charlotte Speers and firefighters Marc Rustage and James Knight.

Fortunately, all three were off-duty in the pub when Lila collapsed and the pub manager raised the alarm calling for someone to phone an ambulance.

Amid the commotion, Charlotte investigated to find young Lila on the floor, unconscious and not breathing so she immediately started giving CPR.

Marc and James were also in the pub off-duty by chance. They are part of the joint ambulance and fire responder team and were able to help Charlotte treat Lila as James fetched a defibrillator – which turned out was not required.

Lila was breathing again thanks to their efforts when paramedics arrived. After suffering four more seizures over the next four months it was found Lila has a heart condition which had stopped blood reaching the brain leading to her collapse due to a defect in a valve and a narrowing of an artery near the heart.

She underwent surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital and is now back to her bubbly and chatty self but mum Tracey says they are taking extra care to make sure she's not running around too much now.

Lila's mum Tracey said: “We were honoured to be invited to meet the Duke and celebrate the well-deserved recognition of our heroes.

"Words could never express how grateful we are that they saved our daughter's life. Seeing my daughter’s lifeless body lying there was the worst experience of my life.

“I will never forget the help that Charlie, Marc and James gave while off duty, nor will I ever forget Charlie grabbing my hand, placing it on Lila’s chest and say, ‘she’s breathing’.

"One silver lining from this horrendous event has not only brought back my little girl but it’s also given me a life-long friend in Charlie."

Tracey was visiting the pub with a friend and her children and Lila had been running around playing when she came up to Tracey who instantly knew something was wrong because her daughter was not talking.

"She put her arms up to be picked up and grabbed my hair and I saw her head and eyes had rolled back in her head.

"I just started screaming. I remember holding on to a staff member's hand and screaming at her: 'Is my baby dead?' I can't imagine what it would have been like for her because she was just saying 'I don't know, I don't know'."

Fortunately, Charlotte, James and Marc had heard the screams by this point and had come running across the pub to start treating Lila who was lying lifeless on the floor.

"If they hadn't been there I dread to think what the outcome would have been.

"The worst thing was there and then they said she'd died and they had to bring her back."

Young Lila suffered another four seizures leading to her being taken for emergency surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London where she stayed for 11 nights.

"I remember holding on to a staff member's hand and screaming at her: 'Is my baby dead?'"

Tracey says there was "absolutely no sign" of Lila having a problem with her heart before the day she collapsed in the pub.

She said Lila is now doing "really well" but is now having six-monthly check ups and will have to be monitored and have operations to look after her heart for the rest of her life.

Tracey and Charlotte now speak every day and are now close friends and have children in the same class at school.

But it was the first time Lila and Tracey saw James and Marc again since the day in the pub and the five travelled to London together to meet the Duke.

Describing speaking to Prince William, Tracey said: "It was amazing and he was really down to earth. It was like meeting a friend, it was really comfortable so that was really odd.

"He spoke to all of us about that time and started talking about Frozen and Lila's sparkling shoes and her dress."

"We’re over the moon that Lila has made a full recovery, and it was a joy to meet her in much happier circumstances today."

Charlotte, who was on maternity leave at the time but who has since returned to duty for the ambulance service at Medway Make Ready Centre said: “It was an real honour to meet the Duke and to represent all my colleagues.

"I had never done a paediatric resus before and having no equipment as well, I was feeling rather overwhelmed.

"Having the support of Marc and James made the situation easier. They should be very proud of everything they did.

"I’m really pleased that Lila is doing so well and it was lovely to meet her and her mum. It’s a day we’ll all remember forever.”

Firefighter James said: “Marc and I are really grateful to be recognised for our role in helping Lila that day, and it has been an honour to be praised by The Duke of Cambridge for our work.

"We did just what any of our blue light colleagues would do in that situation - we’ll always help people where we can, that’s why we joined the fire service.

“We’re over the moon that Lila has made a full recovery, and it was a joy to meet her in much happier circumstances today.”

Ann Millington, chief executive of Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: “Every day I am incredibly proud of the lifesaving work of our crews alongside their other blue light colleagues.

“On duty or off duty, my colleagues will always use their skills and compassion to help others - like in the case of little Lila. I’m thrilled she has made an excellent recovery.”

All three will receive a special award at the annual Secamb awards next month.

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