"Police-obsessed" three year old calls 999 after mum collapses in Doncaster
Three year old James may have saved his mum's life after talking to police call handlers
Last updated 10th Aug 2026
A three year old from Doncaster has potentially saved his mum's life after he phoned police when she fell unconscious.
The toddler, called James, picked up the phone after his mum Georgia become unwell at home, with the call handler quickly realising how serious the situation was.
Call handler Jen said it's a call she will "never forget", adding: "My priority was to keep him calm while finding a way to help him understand what I needed him to do".
"Instead of giving instructions that might have frightened or confused him, I turned it into a game, asking him to tickle his mum to try and wake her up.
"Hearing him engage with me and then hearing that his mum had regained consciousness was an incredible moment of relief.
"Working as a police call handler is a role that comes with a great deal of pressure.
"We speak to people on some of the worst days of their lives, often making difficult decisions in a matter of seconds.
"It can be emotionally demanding, and we don't always hear what happened afterwards or receive positive feedback about the difference we've made.
"This call was different. It reminded me that staying calm, thinking creatively, and adapting to the person on the other end of the phone can have a real impact."
James' parents, Georgia and Jake, had previously taken him on a visit to Sheffield's Emergency Services Museum - which is where he learned what to do in an emergency.
Georgia said: "When I was pregnant I had really bad sickness and my anxiety was all over the place. I kept thinking 'what if something bad happens at home and I'm on my own?'
"I was really worried so we thought we would teach him how to call 999. There is a section at the museum where they've got magnetic numbers on a fridge, and it helps children learn what numbers to call in an emergency so we decided to use that to teach him how to do it and importantly when to do it."
"He potentially saved my life as I didn’t know how long I was going to be passed out for"
"When I came round, I was an absolute mess but the police operator on the other end of the phone managed to calm me and two officers came around to my home to check on my welfare."
"They were fantastic as they managed to distract James while I was being checked over which was a massive help."
The two officers who attended the scene later return with a gift for James in the form of a toy helicopter.
Georgia and Jake are now urging other parents to talk to their young children about calling 999 in an emergency.