SCHOOLS in the town are being encouraged to tune into an online first aid session hosted by television presenter Claudia Winkleman.

St John Ambulance's Big First Aid Lesson will be broadcast in classrooms across the north west on June 12 - so far more than 100 schools have signed up to it.

The charity is helping to address public opinion on the assistance process in the region and believes first aid lessons should be a national curriculum requirement, with research showing almost 59 per cent of children in the north west have 'no life-saving knowledge at all'.

The hour-long, free session will combine first aid training and 999 scenarios with real life stories, as well as plenty of opportunities for pupils to join the conversation via Google Hangouts.

It is primarily aimed at students aged between 7-16.

Graham Ellis, the charity's regional training and community projects manager, said: "Our Big First Aid Lesson addresses the public's desire for first aid education in the classroom.

"We hope they can help us motivate children to take part – it could be the most important lesson they ever learn.

"Like parents and teachers, we want to give children the best start in life by giving every young person the chance to learn first aid.

"There is nothing worse than feeling helpless in an emergency and although we hope they’ll never need to use these skills, they can be a real lifeline."

With the event just around the corner, mum-of three Mrs Winkleman has highlighted the importance of the broadcast.

"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 enjoying their summer holidays," she said.

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

There is still time for schools to join. For further information visit www.sja.org.uk/bigfirstaidlesson.