A FIRST aid charity is encouraging more Hampshire residents to reverse "shocking" statistics and learn life-saving skills.

Essential first aid courses run by St John Ambulance will be held in Winchester, Fareham, Lymington, Southampton and Fareham, and are available to anyone aged 12 and above.

The sessions will focus in a range of emergency situations involving choking, bleeding and stopping breathing in adults and children.

Marita Edwards, community training coordinator, said: "No-one should die because they needed first aid and didn't get it, but sadly too many lives are lost every year in situations where first aid could have given people a chance to live.

"Only five per cent of people have had first aid training - 41 per cent say it would take something as severe as the death of a loved one to learn and one in five parents don't think it's important to know first aid.

"These are shocking statistics and we'd like to change this with our programme in Hampshire."

A course will be held in Winchester on December 8.

For more information visit www.sja.org.uk or email south-east-training@sja.org.uk.