Cool-headed Kelly, aged seven, praised for helping neighbour who collapsed outside home

A seven-year-old Axminster girl has won a top commendation after putting her first aid skills to the test.

Kelly Enticott, a member of the St John Badgers, went into action when a neighbour collapsed near her home.

Showing remarkable coolness, she helped to make the victim comfortable and then, while medics took over, she looked after the person’s partner, making cups of tea.

Kelly is the daughter of Simon Enticott, St John Ambulance’s area superintendent and his wife Carole, who runs the Badger unit.

Mrs Enticott told The Herald how their daughter kept calm and helped them throughout the incident, full details of which cannot be reported because of patient confidentiality rules.

She said the neighbour had collapsed outside their home on a cold winter’s night.

She said: “Kelly used what she has learnt at Badgers to help put the person in a comfortable position on the floor. She then went to see the person’s partner and made them cups of tea and helped with medication while the victim was put in the ambulance. She put all her first aid training into practise and did commendably well - especially for the age she is.

“She was very brave and did all this dressed only in her pyjamas with one of my cardigans around her shoulders on a freezing night.”

Being the daughter of two high ranking St John officials – and having started at St John at the tender age of four-and-a-half - it as no great surprise that Kelly performed so well during the crisis.

But it was shock for the young first aider when was presented a top commendation from St John’s London HQ for her actions.

It was given to her at the Badgers’ annual inspection last week.

“She was very surprised – and said to me ‘you kept that a secret’,” said her proud mum.