Children as young as five are trained to treat victims of heart attacks

Specifically aimed at helping victims of heart attacks, the project is designed to cut the worrying number of people who die before reaching hospital.

Funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the scheme will see 34 teachers trained as life-saving instructors.

They will then pass of their skills to schoolchildren, some of whom are aged as young as five.

Medical experts at Aberystwyth's Bronglais Hospital and the town's leisure centre are managing the Heartstart UK project.

Over 270,000 people in the UK suffer a heart attack each year - that's one heart attack every two minutes Richard Vakis, Heartstart UK

Heartstart UK's co-ordinator for Wales and the West Midlands, Richard Vakis, said: "Heartstart UK is working in partnership to provide instructor training for teachers.

"They will then pass on the vital skills of emergency life support (ELS) to their pupils.

Mr Vakis said that more than 270,000 people in the UK suffer a heart attack each year - that is one heart attack every two minutes.

He said: "About 30% of these people die before reaching hospital. It is important that we all know what to do and help to keep someone alive until professional help arrives.

"A bystander, often a relative, with no medical expertise is likely to be the first person on the scene."

HEART ATTACK FACTS 30% of victims die before reaching hospital 70% of cardiac arrests occur outside hospital More than 70% of these happen in the home

Children as young as five are taught some of these ELS skills through the Heartstart UK programme.

Mr Vakis added: "Four schools in the county are already training children and we are training another batch of teachers in the coming weeks.

"Children as young as five are being trained, but initially they will just learn how to recognise if someone's ill and know how to phone 999.

"Hopefully, by the time they are seven they will be able to save a person's life.

"It's imperative that people know what to do when someone suffers a heart attack.

"The schools are receiving �1,500 each and children will get to practice their skills on manikins.

Experts say 30% of heart attack sufferers die before reaching hospital

"As a former paramedic, I found that people died because those around them didn't know what to do to save them.

"If a person's heart stops beating, after three minutes people's brain cells start to die and that process is irreversible."

David Napier, the BHF's director for Wales, said the announcement coincided with Heart Week when the organisation was staging the Big Red Fight Back against heart disease.

"Heartstart UK is a valuable initiative that has been promoted in the schools through the Ceredigion Healthy Schools Network," he added.