Schoolgirl named Child of Courage for saving mum's life

Mia Hignett showed calm and courage way beyond her years when mum Helen suffered a terrifying seizure and stopped breathing.

The eight-year-old called 999 and with guidance from an operator cleared her mum’s airway and placed her in the recovery position, saving her life.

Once she was breathing, she looked after her one-year-old sister Ava until paramedics arrived.

Mia and sister Ava

The modest Middlewich Primary School pupil says she 'only did what anyone else wanting to save their mummy would do'.

Retired police officer Helen, 38, was left registered disabled after being beaten up on duty 10 years ago and suffers hemiplegic migraines and hemicrania headache disorder.

The condition caused the seizure, which mimicked the symptoms of a stroke.

Mia told the call handler that her mum was not breathing and had white foam coming out of her mouth and nose. They told the youngster to put her mum on her back and tilt her head back to clear her airways.

Mia with her Child of Courage award

Mia followed the instructions and was able to confirm to the operator that her mum was breathing again. She was then guided how to place her in the recovery position.

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Helen says her daughter told her afterwards that she had remembered a conversation they had shared months earlier, when Mia was asking her mum about her time as a police officer.

“I told her that you always had to stay calm and not panic in an emergency, because when you are calm you can make clear decisions," said Helen. "After I came out of hospital we were talking and she broke down crying and told me ‘I remembered what you told me, to stay calm so I would make the right decision’. That made me so proud.”

Mia, now nine, received her Pride of Manchester Awards trophy in a special surprise in the famous Blue Peter garden with the show’s presenters Mwaksy Mudenda and Richie Driss.

Mia with Blue Peter presenters Richie Driss and Mwaksy Mudenda

She thought she was being interviewed about getting her gold Blue Peter badge, but in fact the pair had hidden the trophy in the undergrowth.

Helen added: “They said to her, ‘Oh what’s that down there?’ and she picked it up and read out ‘Mia Hignett’ and said, ‘Oh that’s my name.’

“She was over the moon but she did ask me afterwards, ‘wouldn't everyone do that for their mummy?’ She saved my life. I cannot thank her enough.”

Mia now goes through to the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards which are screened in ITV in the autumn.

Helen said: "I am the most proud mummy you could ever imagine because without my daughter's actions on that day I may not be here to tell you just how wonderful Mia is.

"To be so calm and collected during what was one of the most frightening times of her life is amazing.

"My daughter saved my life that day and her actions were way beyond her young years."

The MEN Pride of Manchester Awards were presented by actor Kym Marsh in front of a celebrity audience including David Walliams, Emma Bunton, Marcus Rashford, David Jason, Piers Morgan, Sue Johnston, John Thomson and Amanda Holden.

You can watch Mia and all the other unsung heroes being honoured by stars in a premiere from 7pm this evening on YouTube.com/prideofbritainawards.