Moment children cheer as headteacher returns after his life was saved by defibrillator [Video]

This is the heart-warming moment children cheered and wept at the return of their headteacher whose life was saved by a defibrillator he installed at their school. 

Nick Sheeran suffered a cardiac arrest seven months ago at Birkdale Primary in Southport.

He was given first aid by staff members who used the defibrillator provided by Mark King, whose 12-year-old son Oliver died in 2011 from heart failure.

Over the last 11 years Mr King has been installing the devices in schools following the death of his son during a swimming lesson at King David High School in Liverpool.

Mr Sheeran, who had four of the devices fitted on school grounds, is the 68th person who has survived after being treated with defibrillator provided by the Oliver King Foundation, which has fitted more than 6,000 of them across the UK.

ARE YOU A PARENT AT THE SCHOOL? Email: liv.jones@mailonline.co.uk 

In the video one young pupil can be seen weeping with joy before Mr Sheeran comforts him with a pat on the shoulders. 

When the headteacher collapsed, his colleagues – who were trained by Mr King – used the machine within 32 seconds. 

According to The British Heart Foundation a defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest.

It increases the chance of survival by more than 40 per cent if they are used on the patient within three to five minutes. 

Mr Sheeran said: ‘I’m the luckiest headteacher on the planet and so grateful to everyone and the part that they played in saving my life.’

He told BBC Breakfast: I’m raring to go.’

Mr King said it was a ‘very emotional’ day and that he was ‘ecstatic’ that the defibrillator he had provided had saved Mr Sheeran’s life. 

‘He’s like our Ollie, people just warmed to him,’ he said. 

Oliver was in year seven when he died from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS), which is when a person dies suddenly and unexpectedly from an unexplained cardiac arrest. It affects 500 people every year in the UK.

He collapsed after taking part in a swimming race and was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where he tragically passed away.

His family was prompted to launch the foundation in his name after feeling frustrated that there was no defibrillator available to save their son in time. 

Mr King said: ‘I was angry because my Ollie wasn’t the first one to die of a sudden cardiac arrest, whether it be in school or out of school.

‘I was wondering why he wasn’t protected, why our kids weren’t protected in schools, indeed why the wider public aren’t protected,’ he told the Liverpool Echo in July 2022.

In January this year the Department of Education (DfE) confirmed that all 20,000 state schools in England will be given a defibrillator by the end of this academic year.

The DfE hopes the move will save the lives of pupils, staff and school visitors.

Schools are already required to teach first aid as part of the curriculum, with secondary school pupils being taught CPR and about defibrillators.

Meanwhile in December 2022 the government announced a £1million fund aimed at increasing the number of defibrillators across England by around 1,000.

The new fund will allow people to apply for defibrillators for areas most in need and with the highest footfall, such as local shops, post offices and parks.

The Oliver King Foundation said today: ‘After having 1million+ views on our recent interview with headteacher Nick from Birkdale Primary School, regarding one of our Defibrillators which saved his life.

‘Our next aim is to open our very own Testing Centre, so we can complete full ECG tests on children and also have a Cardiac Rehabilitation unit. 

‘After a 10 year battle, we finally got legislation for every school in the UK to receive a defibrillator. 

‘One of our other aims now is to have defibrillators installed in ALL public places. Where ever you see a fire extinguisher, there should be a defibrillator.

‘We want to thank each and everyone of you for your continued support over the years, it does not go unnoticed.’

ARE YOU A PARENT AT THE SCHOOL? Email: liv.jones@mailonline.co.uk