A couple today praised the actions of a Bradford police community support officer who saved the life of their little boy.

Sharon Dinsdale, 35, of Thornton, gave life-saving first aid to 11-month-old Luke Murphy after he stopped breathing at his home in Pudsey.

Luke's mum, Caroline Murphy, 31, of Westdale Road, said: "We cannot describe what Sharon has done for us, she was wonderful.

"I am so pleased that she was there and that she took the burden off me because I was not in a fit state to do anything."

Dad Stuart Murphy, 29, said: "I believe if it wasn't for Sharon my baby would not have been here today.

"It makes me feel safe that there are people out there to protect us."

Miss Dinsdale, of Thornton, who is based at Pudsey Police Station, only joined the force three months ago after quitting her job as manager at a Woolworths store to fulfil a life-long ambition.

The mother-of-two, who had just one day of first aid training, was assigned to a beat in Armley, but was in Pudsey because the officers for the area were called to another job.

The former Thornton Grammar School pupil sprang into action after she heard Mrs Murphy screaming when she found her son turning blue in his cot.

Miss Dinsdale said: "I was sent on a job a few doors down when I heard someone screaming and thought it was a domestic.

"Caroline was out in the garden and she was hysterical. I saw that the little boy had stopped breathing and was turning blue.

"I jumped over the garden wall and took him off her and took him inside and put him on the sofa."

She used mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compression techniques to get the tiny tot breathing again whilst her colleague, Ruth Emerson, of Bramley, calmed the toddler's parents down.

The tiny tot was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where doctors said the convulsion had resulted from a fever caused by a kidney infection. Mr Murphy said: "As far as I am concerned it was fate that the officers were there because we don't normally have police patrols in the area."

Luke's grandparents Raymond, 60, and Susan Kelly, 53, of Lodge Road, who live across the road from their daughter, said they could not thank Miss Dinsdale enough.

Mr Kelly said: "We owe her his life. She was really brilliant."

Inspector Granville Ward, of the Pudsey Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "This is the first time that either of the officers have had to respond to this type of situation and they did wonderfully well."