Teen who died suddenly inspires first aid lessons

Teammates of a teenager who died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage have gathered to learn first aid skills in her memory.

Lidia Connolly, 19, from Stourport-on-Severn in Worcestershire, died in May after being found unresponsive at a friend's party.

She was the "life and soul" of Young Gloves Karate in Kidderminster, founder Justin Thomas said, as the club held a life-saving awareness course including how to use a defibrillator and administer CPR.

"Losing Lidia was a massive shock, this was a 19-year-old with all her life to live, it was just so sudden," said Thomas.

Thomas said the club decided to host the event to give people valuable life skills, spreading the word of the importance of first-aid to help others as well as raise money for The Brain Charity.

"[Everyone is] really engaged, I can't believe that first aid skills aren't taught regularly in all schools and it's something I'd like to campaign to make happen," Thomas said.

Hosting the event was Sam Tildesley, a trainer for West Midlands Police, who used to teach Lidia and described her as an "amazing person".

"It's really important to honour her memory today, somebody so young and full of life to be taken so young is just devastating," she said.

Tildesley added that you "never knew" when you were going to need potentially life-saving skills to support others, even if you're just "walking down the street".

"We've got all ages here, from absolutely tiny to older, and I always say it's never too late to start," she said.

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