A Doncaster officer is set to be presented with a Royal Humane Society (RHS) award after his quick-thinking and instinctive reactions helped save the life of a three-month-old baby who had collapsed and stopped breathing at home.

PC Jack Clayton was working as a response officer in Mexborough in December 2023 when he received an urgent call asking for officers to attend a baby in cardiac arrest.

When PC Clayton realised he was within a couple of streets of the address, he took control of the situation and was the first person on the scene from the emergency services.

As the baby's father performed vital CPR, PC Clayton attended and cleared space to work before asking to take over from the dad and administer further life-saving CPR.

"It was all about saving this baby's life," PC Clayton said. "I knew the dad was going to need a break so I asked if he wanted me to take over and that is when I started conducting CPR.

"The call handler on the phone was calling out the repetitions for chest compressions and breathing and I had to be very careful as the baby had been born premature so in reality, he was only three days old instead of three months old.

"Pure professionalism just took over and it was time for me to do my job and try and keep this baby alive."

The baby was taken to hospital and went on to survive, with praise given to PC Clayton for his instinctive actions which played a huge part in saving the tot's life.

As recognition of his efforts, PC Clayton, who now works as a neighbourhood policing officer for Doncaster East NPT in Thorne, will receive a RHS Resuscitation Certificate.

PC Clayton said:

"It's a really nice gesture. It's great to see a positive reaction to police-related work and it's nice to be recognised as a representative of the police.

"The primary function for us as police is to help people and it's nice to see that recognised. I simply did my job and I just did what I feel anyone in my position would have done."

Praising PC Clayton ahead of the giving of his award, Andrew Chapman who is secretary of the RHS, said: "It’s essential in situations like this that CPR is started as soon as possible if it is to be successful. PC Clayton was at the scene very soon after the parents made the emergency call and realised at once that it was essential to start CPR at once.

“In what must have been a harrowing scene, he immediately began CPR on the baby and undoubtedly played a major role in bringing it back to life. He richly deserves the award he is to receive.

“This is another of many cases we see which emphasise the value of as many people as possible, not just members of the emergency services, learning how to administer CPR. It can, as it did here, make the difference between life and death.”

The RHS is a British charity which awards medals, testimonials and certificates for acts of bravery in the saving of human life.