that everyone learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation.

"It's so important,'' Lena-Mae Boyles told The Royal Gazette yesterday, speaking two days after the near-fatal incident. "I now want to send my son and daughter to a CPR course.'' The incident occurred on Friday evening when the little girl went into the water while her mother was not looking.

The family were enjoying an evening swim at Admiralty Cove, in Pembroke, when they discovered the toddler lying face down in the water.

Ms Boyle, who has children of her own, and another lady gave first-aid before the child was rushed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital by car.

The toddler was kept in the Intensive Care Unit for observation before being transferred to a general ward and later released.

Recalling the frightening event, Ms Boyles said she was sitting on the bank above the beach when she heard screaming.

"Soon after I heard the screaming, a girl ran up asking if anyone knew CPR,'' she added. "I told her I knew how and I was pushed toward the beach where a woman was standing and screaming `my baby', `my baby'.'' After finding out what had happened to the child, Ms Boyle said she told onlookers to stand back and asked someone to call 911.

When she could not find a pulse, Ms Boyle began to perform CPR until she noticed that the toddler was breathing slightly.

However, the girl had not regained consciousness when she was rushed to the hospital.

"After they put her in the car I collapsed and started crying,'' Ms Boyles recalled. "It all happened so quickly and I was upset that she didn't wake up.

"I'm glad that she is okay and I'm happy that I knew CPR.'' Ms Boyles said she took the CPR class at Kitson and Company where she works as a computer operator.

"I'm so grateful the training was brought into the office,'' she added.

HEALTH HTH