AN Ipswich man who has trained members of the Royal household in first aid has joined a safety services firm as head of training.Alex Eccles, a freelance trainer in first aid and health and safety for six years, has joined Helmsman Safety Services in Peartree Road, Colchester.

AN Ipswich man who has trained members of the Royal household in first aid has joined a safety services firm as head of training.

Alex Eccles, a freelance trainer in first aid and health and safety for six years, has joined Helmsman Safety Services in Peartree Road, Colchester.

Mr Eccles regularly delivers Health and Safety Executive approved first aid training at Buckingham Palace, and recently had to use his skills when one of the participants collapsed.

Helmsman director Maureen Knight said: “We have been using Alex as one of our trainers for some time and he has always received amazing feedback from our clients. It is therefore the next logical step in our growth plans to bring him into the company both to continue training but also to help ensure that all of the trainers we use give as good a quality as he does.”

Mr Eccles, of Swallowtail Close, Pinewood, is married with a young daughter and qualified in leisure management. He worked in hotels and dealt with health and safety and sports therapy before striking out on his own in 2001.

He said he was looking forward to the challenges of his new role.