STUDENTS at a Worcestershire school have been given the chance to learn life-saving skills thanks to two charities.

Sixth form pupils at Stourport High School and King Charles School, Kidderminster have taken part in the project set up by Malvern-based charity Heartstart and BBC Hereford and Worcester Radio's Dare to Care Campaign with CSV.

Heartstart instructs ordinary people how to react when someone collapses with a heart attack or other medical emergency.

Vince Williams, chairman of the Malvern group, that has been running for 20 years, said they were asked by CSV, a charity which campaigns to end child poverty, to visit the school and teach them the skills.

"It is a way of teaching everybody, in this case youngsters, to have the confidence and ability to provide life-saving skills in an emergency," he said. "It is important to go into schools and teach them this as they will have these skills if they need them. So we are going to be teaching them the basic CPR and first aid."

Sue Broome, one of the CSV action producers for BBC Hereford and Worcester said 120 children benefited from the event, held this week.

"Our charity is not only about raising awareness of child poverty but also to give children new experiences they might never have that they could benefit from in the future and with their life skills."

For more details visit www.daretocarecampaign.com or to contact Mr Williams about Heartstart call 01905 796270.