A mother has told of the terrifying moment her toddler stopped breathing and turned blue in the middle of a shopping centre.

Screaming for help, Jane Cook clutched her lifeless 15-month-old daughter at The Mall Maidstone.

And then the strong arms of a lifesaver came down and scooped up little Emily.

The dramatic scene took place while Mrs Cook, from Barming, was shopping.

Emily, who had developed a high temperature, suddenly had a fit and choked on her own vomit.

Mrs Cook, 34, said: "She was covered in sick and was blue. I pulled her out and shouted for help. I was screaming. People started gathering around and I was sat on the floor with her.

"Then these two arms just came down out of nowhere and took her off me. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was absolutely amazing. He just came out of nowhere."

"Then these two arms just came down out of nowhere and took her off me. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was absolutely amazing..." - Jane Cook

The arms belonged to Mall security guard Robbie Smith, a first aider, who rushed to help after hearing an alert on the security radio.

After clearing Emily's airway, he got her breathing again, and stripped her down to her nappy to cool her until an ambulance arrived.

She had suffered a febrile convulsion, which can happen to young children with a very high temperature.

Mr Smith said: "My son had something similar when he was about two so that helped. I could see what had happened straight away, I just did what I knew needed doing.

"The whole thing took about 30 seconds and I held her as mum was still a bit distressed."

Emily was taken to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury with a temperature of 40.9C, compared to a normal temperature of 36 or 37C - caused by a number of infections, including tonsillitis.

She spent a day there before being released and is now fit, healthy and back at nursery.

Mrs Cook is full of praise for the man who saved her.

"I was very grateful he was there," she said. "I can't thank him enough."