Cool Janet is a life saver

Smiling mother Marie Penney (left) with her daughter Rowan and Moorside pre-nursery school manager, Janet Clegg.

Nursery manager leaps into action after pupil stops breathing

A modest nursery school manager was today praised after she saved the life of a three-year-old toddler.

Janet Clegg of the 48-strong Moorside Pre-school Nursery, told how the drama unfolded when Rowan Penney stopped breathing during a story-telling session at the school.

Mrs Clegg, 50, who has four children of her own, said: “It was the most terrifying two minutes of my life.

“The children were all listening to one of their favourite stories called ‘Bear Hunt’ where they move their arms and legs as the tale unfolds.

“Suddenly, Rowan leaned against one of my staff members and at first I thought she had gone to sleep.

“But then her knees started to buckle, her lips turned blue and she went as white as a ghost.

“She completely stopped breathing and became very floppy. She was completely lifeless.”

As a member of her team called emergency services and other toddlers watched, Mrs Clegg laid blonde-haired Rowan on the classroom floor and probed inside her mouth with her finger to see if there was any blockage.

“I wanted to locate the child’s tongue and make sure that was not causing a problem —then I tilted her head back and blew gently into her mouth.

“After what seemed an eternity, Rowan’s eyes fluttered open and she became agitated. I was so relieved. It was certainly the most emotional couple of minutes of my life.

“I had never experienced anything like it in all my 16 years at the school. It seemed as if Rowan had been unconscious for ever but, in reality, the whole incident did not last more than a couple of minutes.”

An ambulance team rushed the toddler to Royal Oldham hospital with Rowan’s grandmother who normally collects her from the nursery. Her father, Luke Penney, followed in his own car and the child’s distraught mother, Marie (35), who also has two other older children, raced to be at her hospital bedside.

Mrs Penney, from Delph, who works in the civilian section of Oldham police, is still emotional about the incident.

She said: “I was devastated. I just could not believe what had happened — it was all so hard to take in.

“I can’t thank Mrs Clegg enough for what she did. She was calm and collected and I am truly thankful.”

Rowan was kept in hospital overnight for observation and her mother added: “She woke up late evening and asked for a burger.

“Doctors say she had a slight chest infection but thankfully she is fully recovered.”

Added Mrs Clegg: “Everyone at the nursery has been deeply affected by the incident and there have been a lot of tears since it happened.

“But we are all delighted Rowan is back at school again – it’s made us all really happy.”

North West Ambulance Head of Service for Greater Manchester, Ged Blezard, said: “I’d like to commend the actions of the school teacher.

“She undoubtedly played a part in the patients speedy recovery in what must have been a highly distressing situation.”