Toddler has fit at funfair
A TODDLER had to be rushed to hospital by air ambulance after she fell ill at the Island's fairground.
The drama began on Sunday afternoon when a young family who were holidaying on Hayling visited Funland amusement park, at Beachlands.
An 18-month-old girl was in her pushchair while her older sibling was on one of the rides when she suddenly started to have a fit.
Within moments she stopped breathing and her frantic parents called out for help.
Two passers-by, a man and a woman, rushed to her aid and together they performed first aid while they waited for paramedics.
The emergency services operator talked them through the resuscitation process over the telephone until the ambulance crew arrived.
Paramedics asked for the air ambulance to be scrambled to take the child to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham.
John Hill, the owner of the fairground, said he was shocked by what happened.
He said: "The little girl was here with her parents. I think they're from up north.
"Apparently she was ill the night before and they called out the emergency doctor but by the morning she was a lot better and they brought her down to the fair.
"One of the other kids was on a ride when her father turned round to look at the baby in the pushchair and she was having a fit.
"He picked her up and she wasn't breathing.
"He panicked but fortunately there was a nurse nearby and another man who came over straight away.
"It was really awful to see the little thing on the floor being worked on. It broke your heart, it really did.
"The ambulance crew asked for the helicopter otherwise it would've taken about 25 minutes to get to Cosham on the road.
"The bloke who helped just walked off afterwards without giving his name or anything.
"I think everyone here would like to thank him for his efforts."
The toddler was checked over by doctors and later discharged.
Her family took her back to their holiday caravan on the Island.
Michelle Ullett, a spokeswoman for South Central Ambulance Service, confirmed that the emergency services were called at 4.10pm on Sunday and that the air ambulance arrived at the hospital at 4.50pm.
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Weather for Hayling
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -4 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
