A St Davids schoolgirl has been praised for her quick thinking, as she saved her young friend’s life with a move she learnt from Tik Tok.

Gracie Jones, aged 11, was in the park with her friend, eight-year-old Leon Thomas, when Leon started choking on a chocolate Minstrel.

Gracie noticed that her friend had become silent and immediately performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on him. After a few attempts the Minstrel ‘shot out’ and Leon was able to breathe again.

Gracie, who by all accounts is very safety conscious, had seen the Heimlich manoeuvre demonstrated on Tik Tok.

When Leon started to choke she immediately employed what she had seen on screen, saving her best friend’s life.

Leon’s mum, Katy, said that Leon has never had sweets previously and when he tried the Minstrel, he sucked on it and it went straight down his throat.

“They were in the park alone,” said Katy. “I believe Leon started to choke immediately.

“The children returned from the park very shocked, distraught and emotional.”

Gracie has received tremendous praise for her life saving actions.

“A lot of people would not have picked up on what was going on [as Leon went silent],” said her head of year at Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi, Kieran Barclay.

“Gracie was incredibly brave and we are absolutely proud of her. I can’t think that there would be many people who would react so calmly and with such composure in such a situation.

“It is a huge achievement for her at that age to be able to react calmly in that situation, to attempt something that she hasn’t done before and to do so successfully.

“How incredible a response that was that was in a situation where it could be a case of life or death.”

Leon’s mum and dad have promised Gracie a lifetime of free ice creams in thanks.

“We will be forever grateful to Gracie's quick thinking on that day,” said Katy.

“My husband and I own an ice cream shop and we have told Gracie that she can have free ice cream whenever she likes.”