A woman on the brink of death after choking on a piece of carrot was resuscitated by ‘‘bystanders'' and emergency services staff.
The 42-year-old Dunedin woman's heart had stopped and she was not breathing.
A St John spokesman said emergency services were called to a Wakari house about 11.20pm on New Year's Eve and gave CPR to the woman after bystanders, believed to be family members, assisted in ‘‘unblocking her airway''.
‘‘They [emergency services] cleared her airway and got a pulse,'' the spokesman said.
‘‘Someone in that position, it's a life-threatening position.''
After the woman was resuscitated, she was transported to Dunedin Hospital in a serious condition.
A St John communications adviser said her survival was due to a combination of the CPR given by the bystanders, firefighters and St John.
This was backed up with further treatment at the hospital. The woman was understood to still be in Dunedin Hospital but her condition was unknown.
