Wigan mum performs life-saving resuscitation on her neighbour

Nikki Williams, 38 was sitting at home enjoying a coffee with husband Rik last Friday evening at their home in Hawkley Hall, when she suddenly began choking and found herself unable to breathe.

Rik, 40, immediately dialled 999, but knew Nikki needed urgent attention while paramedics raced to the scene. Without any first aid experience to call on,

Rik frantically asked his daughter to seek help from a neighbour.

Fortunately, incredible neighbour Tracey Rennox was alerted to the unfolding horror, and ran inside to perform life-saving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Nikki until the ambulance arrived.

But Tracey’s heroic deed will come as no surprise to anyone who knows her. That’s because the mum-of-two was recently crowned North West Neighbour of the Year!

A grateful Rik was full of praise for Tracey, and decided to speak about the terrifying incident to raise awareness of the importance of first aid training.

“We were having a coffee and some toast while watching TV, at about 8pm,” said Rik.

“My wife was sitting on the couch and started tapping her neck.

“She couldn’t speak and started tapping it again. I could see the panic in her face, she couldn’t breathe.

“I panicked and didn’t know what to do. I rang 999, and was speaking to the operator on the phone who was trying to tell me what to do, when Nikki’s eyes started rolling. I shouted my daughter to go and get a neighbour, when she collapsed on the floor.”

In stepped Tracey, who works as a teaching assistant at Westfield Community School.

“Nikki’s daughter came running for me,” she said.

“I was upstairs. My partner said ‘Nik is having a fit’.

“I’d just done a first aid course before Christmas. I didn’t think I’d paid much attention but obviously I had!

“I ran in, she was on the floor. I put her on her side in the recovery position, but she stopped breathing so I turned her back over and started to resuscitate her.

“She came round a little bit but was a bit panicky.”

She added: “It surprised me, because you think you’ll never have to use it (first aid). I’ve worked in schools for 14 years and have never seen it used, apart from in training. You just think ‘that won’t happen to me’. But it all came back. You might think ‘I couldn’t do that’ but it just automatically clicks in your head.”

Rik went on: “It was all very hectic, a lot went on. If it wasn’t for Tracey, my wife would have died, because I didn’t have a clue what to do.”

Rik revealed he has since enrolled on a first aid course after the frightening close call, and is urging others to do the same in case the worst happens.

In December, Tracey was recognised for her kindness by winning the North West Neighbour of the Year award.

At the time, she revealed she helped out her neighbours in all kinds of ways, from taking in parcels to baking cakes for them.

Jenny Gordon, who nominated Tracey for the award, said: “She will do anything for you. She will go out of her way to do anything.”

That now includes saving their lives.