MP Greg saves drowning woman

During a recent holiday to Barbados with his wife, Celeste, and children Cordelia, 3, George, 8 and baby Harry, Mr Barker was called on to save the life of a fellow holiday maker.

He explained: "Part of the children's activities was to swim with the turtles off shore.

"I had just got on the boat with Cordelia when someone spotted one of the guests lying face down, unconscious in the water.

"I pulled her back into the boat and she wasn't breathing. The staff didn't have a clue what to do so I tried to resuscitate her with mouth to mouth.

"I thought it was fairly hopeless but carried on because her family were there and I had to try something. Eventually she started breathing again so I got her in the recovery position and organised her evacuation to hospital.

"Celeste heard the commotion but didn't imagine in her wildest dreams that I would be at the centre of it!"

Mr Barker was appalled that none of the staff appeared to have any first aid training.

He learned his skills 10 years ago when he was an officer in the Territorial Army. He added: "I thought I'd forgotten everything but it just became automatic."

"The important thing is it really underlines the importance of basic life-saving skills. I visited Bexhill branch of the St John Ambulance about two weeks before I went away, and it shows the terrific work they do."