A Harrogate man saved an 11-month-old baby from choking to death after spotting a mother in distress on the M62 this week.
Liam Brown of Harrogate Automation Ltd was stuck in traffic on the motorway with his boss, Alex Eadington, on their way to a supplier in Warrington on Tuesday.
The pair noticed a car pull on to the hard shoulder and then a woman got out “screaming for help in desperation”.
Liam continued:
“We then saw a man get out of the car – it was the mother’s grandfather – and he was shaking a baby.
“He was screaming for help too.”
(left) Heroes Liam Brown and Alex Eadington, the owner of Harrogate Automation.
It was then that the men, who were still stuck in traffic, realised the baby was choking.
Alex, the driver, pulled the van on to the hard shoulder and Liam instinctively ran to help.
Liam said:
“I literally ran and just grabbed the baby, squatted down on one knee and place it over my knee to pat its back.
“I learned first aid in 2014, so I just tried to implement everything I’d learned to help.”
Mr Brown said the baby was convulsing and he could hear a rattling sound coming from around its mouth.
“I knew something was stuck at that point.
“I really gently put my finger in its mouth and pulled out a plastic wrapper.”
Fortunately, the baby’s breathing then steadied according to Mr Brown.
He added:
“There wasn’t much thought to it really.
“Alex and I are both fathers and it felt like a parental instinct to help – I couldn’t just watch and do nothing.”
Satisfied the baby had recovered, the two men returned to their van to continue their journey.
The baby’s mother, Lola Taylor of Salford, shared a message she’d sent to Harrogate Automation Ltd on social media:
“Just a quick message to thank your amazing team for the support and help they gave to my baby this morning.
“My baby was choking and two gentleman kindly pulled over and saved my baby’s life!
“If it wasn’t for that man my baby wouldn’t have survived – I’m honestly so so grateful.”
Ms Taylor also posted on her social media:
“What a traumatic experience. We are so so lucky.
“If it wasn’t for that man pulling over things would have been so different now.”