Mid-air life-saving act by Atherstone nurse has 'done nothing for my fear of flying'

An Atherstone theatre nurse relived her own nightmare as she talked of pulling a plane passenger "back from the brink" in a miles-high medical drama above the skies of Europe.

Dawn Downes wrestled with a lifetime fear of flying as she found herself the only clinically-trained option to helping save a man's life as a Jet2 flight from Alicante in Spain headed towards UK airspace.

The 59-year-old, better known in Atherstone for her civic vocation as a town and borough councilor, left her husband David's side "for the first time ever on a plane" to tend to the needs of stricken Sam Percival.

The emergency call for help came as Dawn was still picturing herself treading the warm sands of Levante beach in Benidorm.

Initially thinking the person sitting next to the stricken passenger was a doctor, she soon realised she was "on her own" as she walked down the back of the jet to assist the 58-year-old who had collapsed in his seat.

Bringing into play her own contact with the "excellent" training skills lab at Nuneaton's George Eliot hospital where she is an operating department practitioner, Dawn got to work with the air crew on stabilising the patient as the captain diverted the flight from Birmingham Airport to Nantes in France.

She said: "The plane was 20 minutes from UK airspace. At that point Sam had deteriorated and needed that extra help urgently."

Once the plane touched down in France, Mr Percival was treated for the effects of a bug thought to have been picked up from the filtration unit at his holiday villa in Spain. He has since made a full recovery.

But the episode has done nothing to cure her own aerophobia.

She told Atherstone Nub News: "I have always been the same. I fear flying. I don't understand the aerodynamics of it.

"On landing every flight my husband reassures me I am OK.

"This was the first time I had ever left his side on a plane. I had no reassurances as I had to stay with Sam.

"But I still could not have done what I did without the training we have. We are taught to remain calm and collected in difficult situations."

Over Christmas Dawn received a call from Mr Percival following the November episode and was "over the moon" to hear his voice.

This week the two were reunited at the George Eliot as he thanked the nurse for her selfless act – in fighting her own demons.

And then he mentioned something which made Dawn cringe, and smile, at the same time.

"Sam said he has booked another holiday which I informed him I will not be on as a passenger because I just don't like flying," she added.