NEW research from St John Ambulance shows that two thirds of people in the South West (67 per cent, compared to 64 per cent nationally) will have broken our New Year’s Resolutions by this week – that’s at least 30 million abandoned resolutions, across Britain.

But the first aid charity has teamed up with celebrity psychologist Jo Hemmings to reassure us that it’s not too late to have a ‘resolution rethink’, by making a new one that’s easy to keep and could help save a life.

St John Ambulance wants everyone to watch and share a six-second film at www.sja.org.uk/4ps which shows how to recognise the first signs of a heart attack and be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

In the UK, 92,000 people suffer heart attacks each year – a third of them die as a result – meanwhile St John Ambulance’s research also shows that two-thirds (66 per cent) of people in the region wrongly believe that a heart attack is a cardiac arrest.

The symptoms of a heart attack are known as the ‘four Ps’:

• Pain (in the chest).

• Pulse (weak or rapid)

• Pale (ashen skin). 

• Perspiration (or profuse sweating).

If these signs are spotted swiftly and appropriate treatment is given, a heart attack need not lead to a potentially fatal cardiac arrest (when the person stops breathing and requires resuscitation).

And, for anyone struggling to keep their resolutions, St John Ambulance has worked with behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings (This Morning, Daybreak, Big Brother’s Little Brother) to offer the following advice:

1. Don’t always choose to stop something that’s bad in your life as a resolution, it’s often more satisfying to resolve to start something good instead.

2. Choose a resolution that is goal orientated and can be monitored regularly.

3. Resolutions which have some sort of responsibility outside of your own needs often feel more worthwhile and are therefore less likely to be broken.

4. Keep expectations realistic – give yourself a target that you know to be manageable.

5. Resolving to do something together with a friend often helps us keep our resolutions.

"Poor weather conditions and post-Christmas blues can make us feel low and demotivated by now, causing many to lose interest and give up on ambitious or costly New Year’s resolutions," said Jo.

In the South West, the five most common excuses for breaking resolutions were:

• 72% lose interest. 

• 24% feel that they didn’t need to make the resolution in the first place. 

• 20% say it was unachievable. 

• 13% feel resolutions are time-consuming. 

• 11% lack the will power to keep their resolution on their own. 

"Making a new resolution today that is realistic and teaches us a skill will be easier to keep and make us feel good about ourselves," added Jo.

St John Ambulance’s regional director, Steve Hargreaves said: "It’s not too late to make a new resolution and to try something which is attainable – and potentially life saving.

"Help us reduce heart attack deaths by watching our quick steps on how to spot the signs, and learn how to treat a heart attack.

"Making a resolution this simple could enable you to be the difference between a life lost and a life saved."