AN "EXTRAORDINARY" 11-year-old girl wants to grow up to be a paramedic after winning a national award for saving a man's life when she was just 10.
Jasmine Wakefield-Sterry, from Chelmsford, was shopping in High Chelmer with her four-year-old brother when family friend and diabetic Matt Willoughby went into a hypoglycemic fit.
After shoppers ignored her cries for help, she told the paramedics exactly what the 21-year-old had eaten, how much insulin he needed and that he needed 'Gloco-gel' to give him the sugar boost needed to wake him up.
Twelve months on and she has scooped a Young First Aider of the Year Award from St John Ambulance.
Matt, now 22, said: "It's extraordinary to think that Jasmine didn't panic in that situation. I was the responsible adult looking after her and her brother and yet when faced with this emergency she acted calmly and was able to tell the medics everything they needed to know about my condition.
"Had she not have been there I'm confident I wouldn't be here now. Despite her shouting for help, many people just passed by and didn't come to her aid.
"I owe my life to her and I will always be extremely thankful."
Now 11 years old, Jasmine, of Larkrise Primary School, was one of 14 youngsters to receive a certificate in Clerkenwell, London, on May 18.
She said: "Getting this award means so much to me. It makes me feel special and I'm really pleased I was able to help our friend when he was ill."
Former NHS carer Matt was with Jasmine and little brother Kian last May when he realised his blood sugar levels were low.
"I felt immediately disorientated and said we had to get some food. In Greggs, I had my card in my hand ready to pay but I couldn't see it. I was shouting out because I couldn't see the kids even though they were right by my feet.
"I remember thinking 'I have to eat this quick'. I then have fragments of memories of being on the floor," said Matt, who believes his blood pressure plummeted.
After going into a "hypo", which caused a nerve-injury to his eye, security staff called the emergency services.
Jasmine explained his condition to paramedics, told them what he had had for breakfast, how much insulin he needed, helped administer his drug and simultaneously looked after her little brother.
Jasmine's mother, Becca, 32, who met Matt five years ago while working for a care agency that looks after adults in the community, said: "She is such a lovely girl and so caring.
"When her brother was born she was off school but didn't want to go back because she didn't think I could look after him.
She added: "Now she wants to be a paramedic and Matt is trying to get her into St John Ambulance."