THE mother of a 10-year-old girl who almost died after suffering an allergic reaction has lavished praised on a hero teacher.

Gail Beale says her daughter Lauren would have died if it was not for the quick thinking and coolness of Nicki Green.

Little Lauren, of Belmont Road, Erith, started to feel ill shortly after lunch at Northumberland Heath Primary School, in Wheelock Close.

But the youngster, who has an allergy to products containing nut traces, did not want to disturb her teacher.

It was only when her best friend, Amelia Harris, nine, noticed Lauren's hand wandering as she was writing in a book that teacher Jo Harding was alerted.

She summoned nursery nurse and first-aider Nicki Green who dashed to the classroom.

But by this time Lauren had gone into anaphylactic shock and was having great difficulty breathing.

Hero teacher Nicki said: "I saw Lauren was in a great deal of trouble. Her face was swollen and her lips had turned blue. She also had great difficulty breathing.

"I had been trained to use an epipen, which injects an adrenaline shot which helps the person with an allergy start breathing again, but the needle jammed and the shot was not injected.

"Luckily, we had another epipen which I used and this time it administered successfully. Lauren started to breathe more easily and looked less ill."

The youngster was then rushed to Sidcup's Queen Mary's Hospital and released later that evening.

Mrs Beale says she does not know how to thank the teacher.

She said: "Lauren would be dead had it not been for Mrs Green.

"She is a trained first-aider but I am sure many people would have panicked when the first epipen failed.

"I don't know what I would have done because there was no way the ambulance could have reached my daughter in time."

Lauren, whose sister Sarah, eight, also suffers from the disorder, said: "I was very frightened I was going to die.

"I don't remember much but I remember Miss Harding cuddling me and telling me I was going to be all right."

December 3, 2001 14:41