By Liz HearnshawAN 18-month-old toddler who stopped breathing after tumbling into a swimming pool was brought back from the brink of death by quick-thinking paramedics.

By Liz Hearnshaw

AN 18-month-old toddler who stopped breathing after tumbling into a swimming pool was brought back from the brink of death by quick-thinking paramedics.

The accident happened on Sunday when the youngster is thought to have become caught under the covering of the private pool in Boxford, near Sudbury.

Ambulance crews arrived on the scene and began resuscitating the young boy, who had been submerged under the water for several minutes.

But when the toddler did not initially respond to the treatment, paramedics continued their efforts and saw the youngster begin to breathe on his own.

The boy - who has not been named, but who is believed to live in the area - was then airlifted to Colchester General Hospital by the Essex Air Ambulance. His condition was initially described as “critical”, but was yesterday said to be improving and “stable”.

A spokesman for Essex Ambulance Service said: “The East Anglian Ambulance Service called us to School Hill in Boxford to reports of an 18-month-old boy in a swimming pool and possible drowning.

“Our helicopter attended. It is understood the child was submerged for several minutes. An East Anglian paramedic was carrying out resuscitation and continued for a couple of minutes and the child started breathing again.

“He suffered a lack of oxygen to the brain, which caused fitting which was treated with drugs.

“He was airlifted to hospital, and his father travelled with him in the helicopter. The child was unconscious, but breathing on the way to the hospital.”

No-one from the house was available for comment yesterday. A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “I can confirm we were called to attend at School Hill in Boxford.

“Details were taken from all involved and the circumstances surrounding the incident are not considered suspicious.”

liz.hearnshaw@eadt.co.uk