Family's joy as little Sofia saved in drama after she choked on a marshmallow

But this almost wasn't the case. Sofia's life was put in danger when she choked on a marshmallow while enjoying a day out with her family.

The 20-month-old turned blue and lost consciousness, but her life was saved by an off-duty paramedic, who happened to be at Telford Shopping Centre at the same time.

Her mother, Yasmin Bickerton, today now urged other parents to be aware of the dangers of the sweet and has sent out thanks to all the shoppers and customers who were in the Costa near House of Fraser, who helped when the toddler was in danger.

Yasmin, 25, who also has a three-year-old son called Alex who goes to Priorslee Primary Academy, described the drama as terrifying.

The office assistant, who lives in Stirchley, Telford, said: "I gave her a marshmallow and she popped it in her mouth.

"She bit a little bit off and swallowed the rest and started to choke.

"Before I had given it to her, I had said to her step-dad, 'She'll be okay with this because it is only soft'."

Yasmin tried to help Sofia, but quickly realised the situation was becoming more serious.

She said: "I patted her on the back, expecting her to just cough it back up.

"But it wasn't working so I passed her to her step-dad and he couldn't help either.

"Then I think people around us started to realise we were panicking and began to help."

One man ran into a neighbouring clothes shop where he found off-duty paramedic Mike Hipgrave and his wife, who ran to the family's aid.

Yasmin said: "For me, everything was a blur, I thought she was gone.

"While the man was looking for help, she had turned blue and was unconscious.

"Everyone was trying to get the sweet out but because it is sticky it couldn't come back up.

"Afterwards, the on-duty paramedics who came to help said they are just as bad as grapes for choking because they form a little plug."

Mr and Mrs Hipgrave performed mouth-to-mouth and CPR, managing to free the sweet and get Sofia breathing again.

When ambulance staff arrived she was given oxygen and taken to the Princess Royal Hospital for observation, but Yasmin said that within an hour she was back to her old self and has suffered no ill-effects.

Now she hopes to run a first aid session in Telford in the hopes that no parent finds themselves in the same situation.

She said: "I had an idea of what to do, and I think a lot of people who were there did but because it was a marshmallow they just couldn't get her to bring it up

"We're doing okay, we're still a little apprehensive – but who wouldn't be?

"We'd just like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who helped and to all the people who saved her life."

After the incident on Bank Holiday Monday, Yasmin put out a plea on Facebook to try to reach the couple who helped her daughter – and eventually was able to get back in contact with paramedic Mike, 48, who lives with wife Jennifer Lovell-Hipgrave, 47, in Coalbrookdale.

Jennifer also works in the health service as a mental health ward manager working for Shropshire & Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

He said: "We were just out doing some shopping and we were in a clothes shop.

"We were in the queue when a man ran in asking for help.

"We asked what was wrong and he said that there was a little girl who was choking and had turned blue, so we ran off to help.

"The child was in Costa Coffee and I believe she was being held by mum. She was blue and not breathing.

"I took her off her mum and laid her on the floor and me and my wife did CPR and mouth-to-mouth and managed to get her breathing.

"While we were waiting for the ambulance to arrive, she stopped breathing again – and again me and my wife did CPR and mouth-to-mouth.

The second time we did manage to dislodge the obstruction which we swept out of the way.

"Afterwards I went home and a bit later I spoke to my daughter about it, because it isn't something that you expect when you're just shopping with the wife.

"I thought nothing of it, but my daughter called back because she saw the post on Facebook and recognised it was us.

"I don't have Facebook but I told my wife because she has a page. She got in contact with the mum and they have been corresponding every day since, checking how the baby is doing.

"They've asked us to meet up and we've agreed but we're yet to set a time and date, but it will be nice to catch up with them.

"I've been a paramedic for 18 years and I have got to say that was probably one of the most satisfying moments of my life."

He added: "It is different when I'm at work when I'm in the uniform and I've got all the equipment but this was a chance happening and we got a good result.

"My wife was fantastic, really supportive."