Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood – whose brother was killed in Bali bombings – reveals moment he gave CPR and mouth-to-mouth to dying police officer
FOREIGN Office Minister Tobias Ellwood gave CPR and mouth to mouth to a policeman wounded in the Westminster terror attacks.
The minister, who was formerly a British Army officer, bravely raced to help the dying officer after he had been attacked by a knife-wielding fanatic in the grounds of the Palace of Westminster.
Tragically the officer died just hours after the blood-soaked rampage which began when a car smashed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.
The Tory MP was seen with blood on his mouth and clothes as he tried to stem the blood flow by applying pressure to the wounds.
Speaking just hours after the attack which has so far left four dead, including the attacker, Mr Ellwood, formerly a Captain in the Royal Green Jackets, said it was a “huge tragedy”.
He said: “I am a witness, I was the last one on the scene before he died so I am not allowed to say anything.
“It is now murder, I was on the scene and as soon as I realised what was going on I headed towards it.
“It is a huge tragedy, it really is.
“I tried to stem the flow of blood and give mouth to mouth while waiting for the medics to arrive but I think he had lost too much blood.
“He had multiple wounds, under the arm and in the back.
“As I understand it the attacker has also died.
“It’s very sad.”
He told : “What a mad world — tried to save officer but stabbed too many times.”
The former soldier lost his brother Jonathan, a teacher, in the Bali terrorist bombings in 2002.
The terror attack killed 202 people – included 27 Brits.
At least four people are dead and 20 others have been treated for injuries after a 4×4 mowed down victims on Westminster Bridge before the driver attacked a policeman outside one of Parliament’s gates.
Mr Ellwood waited for the air ambulance to arrive after helping paramedics and police on the scene.
He spoke with officers before returning to the Foreign Office this afternoon.
The MP for Bournemouth East has been Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office since 2014 – looking after the Middle East and Africa briefs.
Mr Ellwood said at the time that he believed that his brother’s death could have been avoided if MI5 had given sufficient warnings to citizens.
His brother was killed in the second of two blasts that tore through a nightclub. He had to wait three days to find out that he had been killed.
Conservative MP Adam Afriyie saw his long-time friend Mr Ellwood try to save the life of the police officer.
He told BBC News: “We were going about our duties as MPs. I was walking from Portcullis House to the Westminster chamber to vote. As I was walking through (New) Palace Yard with many other MPs to vote, at about the fifth arch, then suddenly I heard gunfire.
“I have heard it before. I recognised it immediately so ducked in behind a pillar.
“We were then instructed very quickly by the house services and security services to basically go back to Portcullis House.
“I obeyed the instructions and as I turned around and started to walk back, my good friend Tobias Ellwood of 20 years was marching towards us with determination.
“I shouted something out to him along the lines of ‘You look like you are on a mission’.
“He walked straight past and straight to where the incident had taken place. Then it occurred to me that he had lost his brother in Bali and he was going to do anything he possibly could to help the situation.
“I am really really proud of him. I am sure his family is too and the rest of us are for actually trying to give life support of the police officer who was injured.”
“There was intelligence that said attacks on tourists at nightclubs was expected and indeed there was a (grenade) attack on 23 September.
“With all that in mind the threat levels should have been raised higher,” said Mr Ellwood.
