Asda worker praised for saving the life of a customer

A supermarket worker has been praised for saving a customer’s life after the woman collapsed with a brain aneurysm.

Section leader Lauren Watt sprang into action when Lisa Colborne hit the floor unconscious in Asda’s Tranent store in East Lothian.

Ms Watt carried out CPR on the shopper for 15 minutes until paramedics arrived to transport Ms Colborne to the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh for an emergency operation.

Ms Colborne said: “What Lauren did for me that day was simply amazing. She definitely saved my life and I can’t thank her enough.

“She kept me alive. She had to give me CPR for about 15 minutes, so it was quite a long time. I did end up with a broken rib, so that just shows how long she was doing it for.

“I am so grateful for Lauren being there and helping me.”

After the incident, Ms Colborne remained in hospital for two weeks but is now recovering at home.

Ms Watt said she was due to finish her shift when she got called to the incident.

She added: “Lisa was unconscious on the ground and not moving, but knowing I was first aid trained, my colleague Brodie passed the phone to me and I followed the instructions of the 999 operator.

“We put the defibrillator pads on Lisa to monitor her and I began CPR and did so until the paramedics arrived.

“They then instructed me to keep going while they got their equipment ready for her.”

Ms Watt said the 999 operator kept her calm.

She added: “The paramedics said that if I hadn’t kept Lisa’s bloods flowing by administering CPR, she would no longer be with us.

“I’m just so happy that I’ve helped her to stay with her family.

“Knowing now that she is okay is such an incredible feeling.”

Store manager Peter McAloon commended Ms Watt for the heroic act.

He said: “I only heard about the incident second-hand because Lauren is so humble.

“She wasn’t shouting from the rooftops that she’d saved someone’s life – which speaks volumes about her as a person.

“Saving someone’s life is not something you do every day. We are so proud of her.”