WHEN seven-year-old Darion Ayim’s mum Dawn collapsed at home, he knew exactly what to do.

Keeping a calm head, the youngster rang 999 and even checked his mum’s pulse and heart rate while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

Now Dawn has hailed her son – who has a phobia of doctors – a hero, even more so because he has bounced back after breaking his neck in an accident in 2017.

It was when Darion was having the ‘halo’ put on his body for that injury that doctors told him he would have superpowers while it was on. He believes that he still has these and that he became a superhero to save his mum.

Dawn said: “My boy is absolutely amazing. He overcame all his fears and traumas to save me.

“I’m supposed to be his carer and when the tables turned he became mine.

“If that was me in that situation in his position I’m not sure if I would have been as calm and composed as he was.”

Darion and Dawn, from Haydon Wick, were at their family home planning to wrap Christmas presents when Dawn suddenly passed out on the landing.

Darion who was the only family member at the home immediately ran downstairs to grab a phone to call for help, ringing the emergency services asking for an ambulance.

He even attempted to roll his mum onto her side as instructed by an operator over the phone.

Darion said: “I was very scared but I remembered what my mummy and sisters had taught me in case of an emergency.

“I love my mum and just wanted to make sure she was okay.”

Darion was being assisted over the phone by an operator of the ambulance service, but midway through the call the phone ran out of battery.

This did not stop the resourceful youngster. He ran downstairs to find a charger to resume the call as quickly as he could.

In 2017 Darion was involved in his own battle when he broke his neck in a freak accident.

That left the youngster bedridden in hospital for four months and he had to have a surgically attached halo to his head to help with his recovery. He had to take a year out of school while he recovered.

It was this experience that left him traumatised with a phobia of hospitals, ambulances, and doctors.

As he recovered, he suffered panic attacks and separation anxiety from his mum who was with him every step of the way through this ordeal.

Darion still has to have physiotherapy sessions as part of his ongoing recovery.

A South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: “We urge parents to teach their children what to do in an emergency.

“That includes showing them how to call 999, making sure they know their address, and ensuring they are aware of any known health problems in the family.

“Children really can help to save lives.”