A TEENAGER who was struck by lightning at school is hoping to track down the doctors and paramedics who helped save his life to mark five years since the incident happened.

Joe Compton had only been a Year 7 pupil at Dorcan Academy for two weeks when he was standing next to a lamp post in the school car park one afternoon when the lightning struck.

Staff from the nearby Dorcan Recreation Centre rushed to treat the, then, 11-year-old who was taken to the Great Western Hospital after the bolt of lightning caused his heart to stop, burst his ear drums and caused severe burns across 22 per cent of his body. He was later transferred to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

Now, five years on, the 15-year-old and his mum Emma Dean want to personally thank the medical staff who helped give him the best possible chance to live a normal life.

Emma, 33, of Park South, said: “The paramedics and staff at the GWH kept him alive before he was able to recover in Frenchay and so we want to say thank you to them.

“We have made up some certificates and we want to give them to the people who saved his life because luckily he pulled through and it was the people in recess that helped him so he wanted to give them something.

“Joe is turning 16 soon and I want him to be able to thank them properly now he is at an age where he understands what happened and how serious it was.”

Emma has been told to write a letter to GWH in hope of it being passed onto the relevant staff. But due to the incident happening five years ago, she was told there is not much hope of finding those involved so instead hopes they may recognise Joe’s story.

Joe, who hopes to gain a place at Swindon College to study plumbing, spent over two months in hospital and a further period of time receiving treatment for his burns - something which still affects him today.

“The five years have gone so quickly and he had treatment at the hospital for a couple of years after it happened because of the scar tissue damage which was the worst part of it,” Emma added.

“But even now, he still gets pain in his leg as a result of what happened so even to this day, we can’t forget it because we have these reminders but we are trying.”

Are you one of the doctors or paramedics who helped save Joe’s life back in 2012? If so, let us know by emailing newsdesk@swindonadvertiser.co.uk