A first aid charity has revealed over half of parents in Norwich lack the skills to save the life of a child during a life threatening incident.

St John Ambulance is today (Monday) launching a campaign to encourage more people to learn first aid techniques after figures revealed 57pc of parents in Norwich and 54pc in the east of England, lacked these skills.

As part of the campaign the charity has launched a powerful new film, from the award-winning director behind the John Lewis commercials.

The statistics also showed that 25pc of parents in Norwich did not view knowing first aid as important, while 66pc believed knowing first aid skills would make them feel more prepared for parenthood.

The same percentage said the thought of their child needing first aid treatment made them feel worried, while 33pc of Norwich parents said their child had an accident on holiday needing first aid treatment they were unable to provide.

Sue Killen, St John Ambulance chief executive, said: 'It's devastating to find that over half of parents wouldn't have the first aid confidence to save their own child's life. And it's not just parents. Over two-fifths (41pc) of people admit that it would take something as severe as the death of a loved one to make them learn first aid.

'Unfortunately, our volunteers can't be everywhere so we've developed an online experience to help more people be the difference between a life lost and a life saved. We don't want anyone to be helpless in a first aid situation especially when learning life saving skills is so simple.'

In the film to go with the campaign a boy falls from a tree while playing with his father in a garden as the mother seemingly looks on through the kitchen window.

However, it turns out the 'mother,' a St John Ambulance volunteer, has no connection to the boy or father and runs out to the garden to collect her washing in the rain.

Meanwhile in the empty park the boy is unconscious with the dad screaming for help as viewers are implored to find out how to save the boy.

Viewers are urged to visit www.sja.org.uk/savetheboy to learn the first aid needed to ensure he stays alive.