A MIDDLEWICH mum has taken her inspirational message about saving young lives all the way to Parliament.

Linda Boden, who lost her son Andrew, 26, to cardiac arrest spoke to MPs in London about the importance of having defibrillators in all schools.

According to charity SADS UK (sudden arrhythmic death syndrome), around 270 cardiac arrests occur in British schools each year.

Yet 100,000 petition signatures are needed just for the issue to be debated in the House of Commons.

Linda, of Dean Street, said: “It is with a lifetime of regret that I could not save my son Andrew.

“But if I can save one other mother or family member from going through the same heartache then I will.”

The 57-year-old spoke at a parliamentary reception as part SADS UK’s Big Shock Campaign.

Linda told the Guardian she met an inspirational schoolboy called Ned Ingarfield, of Horsham, West Sussex.

The 11-year-old collapsed three times at school and it was through SADS UK that he got the treatment he needed and a defibrillator in his school.

Linda, a cashier at Tesco Express, said: “After he gave a talk, his mother flung her arms around him and I thought I wish I could do that with Andrew.

“It’s that grief that gives you the get up and go as you don’t want anyone else to suffer this.

“To know lives are being saved is what it’s all about. You never get used to the loss but you learn to deal with it.

“I had to keep the heartache until I got home.”

Previous fundraising by Linda has led to defibrillators being available at Middlewich High School, Middlewich Primary School and Cledford School.

Linda added: “This is lifesaving equipment we are talking about so lets stop talking and start doing.”

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- The Resuscitation Council (UK) suggests a defibrillator should be available wherever medical treatment is more than 5 minutes away.

Anne Jolly, founder of SADS UK, said: “With the average response time of the Ambulance Service being eight minutes, in practical terms this means the whole of the UK.”

- In 2000, the Government put 680 defibrillators into public places, but none of these were donated to schools

- To sign the petition, visit sadsuk.org.uk or contact Anne on 01277 811215 or info@sadsuk.org