A HERO decorator saved a baby boy's life after he choked on a sweet wrapper and couldn't breathe.

John Vaughan, 47, rushed to help little Darwin O'Brien after hearing his mum's screams coming from downstairs while he was painting a bedroom at the family's home.

The 10-month-old boy was already limp when John ran into the room. His lips were blue, his eyes were bulging and he had turned grey.

Mum Nyesha Farag O'Brien, 28, says she had froze on the spot in fear but quick-thinking John grabbed her son and put his fingers down his throat.

When he couldn't clear the blockage he began slapping him on the back. After dozens of slaps, the wrapper finally popped out of Darwin's mouth.

Nyesha, from Gorton, said: "John had put his fingers down Darwin's throat and was slapping him on the back but nothing was working.

"He looked at me with terror in his eyes and I will never forget that look.

Ambulance

"My little seven-year-old girl Nirvana reached for the phone to call an ambulance. Then John banged my son's back again between the shoulder blades and a big piece of wrapper from a chocolate bar came out of his mouth.

"He then started to cry loudly.

"John had recently given up smoking but he handed my son back to me and said he really needed a cigarette. I just curled up on the floor sobbing."

Nyesha had been in her kitchen cooking dinner for Nirvana, who is recovering from a brain tumour, and her two friends. The children had sneaked some sweets and chocolate into the front room and left the wrappers on the sofa.

Darwin in his baby walker had managed to get one of the wrappers and put it in his mouth.

"I owe John so much," said Nyesha. "I don't want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't been there.

Suppliers

"I've been finding him work with my friends and at my home, but it's not really enough. We've given him a new name, which the staff at his suppliers have adopted too - we call him the house doctor."

Dad-of-four John, who lives on Belford Avenue in Denton, has been nominated for our Manchester Heroes Awards by Nyesha for his heroic actions in March this year.

John said: "It was quite traumatic, I've never experienced anything like that before.

"I could hear the children shouting me and Nyesha screaming in the background. Her little boy was in quite a state and I was relieved when the wrapper eventually popped out and then he started crying.

"I was just happy to be able to help. I was surprised when I heard she'd nominated me for an award but it's a very nice gesture."

The Manchester Hero Awards have been run in conjunction with Barclays and were launched ahead of the bank opening its new flagship branch on Market Street in Manchester city centre on May 31.

There will be 25 winners who will each receive a prize of £1,000 at a special presentation ceremony in June.

To read about other hero nominations, click here .
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