A HERO schoolboy saved his gramp from choking after learning life-saving skills at school.

Maxi Bastable, 11, who lives near Malmesbury, had been trained in emergency first aid during a Wiltshire Air Ambulance visit to Westonbirt School, where he is a pupil.

He was presented with a real-life scenario when his granddad Francis began choking on a Murray mint at home while his wife Patricia was outside in the garden.

The quick-thinking youngster - who aspires to become a doctor or a sportsman - calmly took control of the situation and successfully delivered an abdominal thrust to dislodge the sweet.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance began delivering emergency awareness training sessions at schools four years ago which show pupils how to manage an unconscious patient, how to perform CPR and how to assist a person who is choking.

After the charity found out about the choking incident, staff invited Maxi along with his mum Joanna, dad James and older brother Ted to Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s HQ at Semington near Trowbridge to meet the aircrew on Wednesday, August 2.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: Maxi and his family at Wiltshire Air Ambulance's air base in Semington Maxi and his family at Wiltshire Air Ambulance's air base in Semington (Image: Wiltshire Air Ambulance)

Maxi's brother is an aspiring pilot and was thrilled to meet a real-life pilot.

Joanna said: “We’re very proud of Maxi for coming to his grandfather’s rescue and we will be forever grateful to Wiltshire Air Ambulance and its emergency awareness training programme.

“We’re based near Malmesbury, and we often see the helicopter flying overhead.

"We always look to support the charity and we are part of the Somerford and District Show, held annually in August, which raises funds for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and other local charities.”

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard: Maxi and his family being shown some of the life-saving equipment which is used on Wiltshire Air Ambulance helicopters Maxi and his family being shown some of the life-saving equipment which is used on Wiltshire Air Ambulance helicopters (Image: SWNS)

Westonbirt head Natasha Dangerfield is incredibly proud of Maxi, and stressed the importance of having the sessions.

She said: “To have the presence of mind to manage such a situation does not surprise me of Maxi and we should all be grateful of the work groups, like the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, do to reinforce such life skills.

"We are incredibly proud of Maxi and hope that his actions set an outstanding example of why relationships between schools such as Westonbirt and charities like WAA and the Great Western Ambulance Society are important in their fundraising.”

Wiltshire Air Ambulance emergency awareness training instructor Andrew Robinson said: “This is exactly why the charity began the programme four years ago and we have so far delivered the training to more than 20,000 children across Wiltshire, Bath and surrounding areas.

“It’s brilliant to hear that Maxi was able to take what he was taught by Wiltshire Air Ambulance in school and put it into practice when the need was there.”