STAFF at Bassaleg Ambulance Station were surprised to be faced with a number of traumatic “injuries” that did not need their attention.

Students from Bassaleg High School attended the ambulance station as part of their study for a BTEC level 2 qualification in theatrical and media make-up.

“It was a great opportunity to work with local students,” said Jason Sadler, clinical team leader at Bassaleg Ambulance Station. “We were able to take advantage of their enthusiasm to teach them about the kind of equipment we use to treat patients with the injuries they had made-up in their scenarios.

“We gave them a guided tour around an emergency ambulance, and showed the equipment onboard which can really make a difference to someone facing an emergency.

“It’s good to see how much the students wanted to know about what we do and how we can help them. We are really pleased to support events such as this because it’s an excellent opportunity to engage with the public and enable them to be more informed about our day to day work and the role we play as an emergency service across Wales.”

The students used different aspects of theatrical make-up including stage make-up, body and face painting, latex pieces and special effects. Photographs were taken for the student portfolios.

Pauline Aitken, a tutor on the course, said: “We had eight different make-up scenarios ranging from a car crash, a bar fight, a patient with an injured back, and an elderly gentleman having a heart attack."