A NORTH-EAST teacher is urging more schools to sign up for a free online first aid lesson by after research showed six in 10 children would not know what to do in a medical emergency.

Durham School, a leading North-East independent school in Durham City will be tuning into the charity's second Big First Aid Lesson at 2pm for an hour on Friday June 12 to show seven to 16-year-olds basic first aid skills.

Hosted by TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, this year's lesson will walk the children through what they should do if faced with different types of emergency that could occur in the summer holidays, including an asthma attack, head injury or anaphylactic shock, a life-threatening allergic reaction.

To join the Big First Aid Lesson, schools need an internet connection and a screen, such as an interactive whiteboard. Registration is online at sja.org.uk/bigfirstaidlesson

More than 1,000 schools have registered so far, indicating at least 140,000 students will take part – four times as many as last year, when the Big First Aid Lesson was launched.

As well as holding the educational event, St John Ambulance is campaigning for first aid lessons to become part of the national curriculum.

Research showed 55 per cent of young people in the North-East had done no first aid training. They would be unlikely to know basic skills such as how to check if someone were breathing or how to stop someone choking.

Mr Kieran McLaughlin, Headmaster of Durham School said: "This is a marvellous initiative and one which could prove to be the difference between life and death for someone in the future. We are proud to be involved in such a good cause.”

David Nicklen, St John Ambulance training and community manager, said: ‘Our Big First Aid Lesson addresses the public's desire for first aid education in the classroom while it doesn’t feature in the national curriculum. We hope they can help us motivate their child’s school to take part– it could be the most important lesson they ever learn.

Claudia, mother of three and presenter of hit TV show, Strictly Come Dancing, said: “The Big First Aid Lesson is a fantastic and engaging way of teaching students the skills they may need to help keep a classmate or a family member safe in an emergency while they’re out on the playground or during the holidays.

“All schools should make teaching young people basic first aid a top priority.”