A mysterious hero saved the life of child when she choked on bubblegum on a bus.

Ambulance staff paid tribute to the unidentified man, thought to be a soldier, who stepped in to give first aid to the five-year-old.

The girl was taken to hospital but is not believed to have suffered further problems.

The drama unfolded at about 3.30pm yesterday on a bus travelling in Sackville Road, Hove.

Passengers raised the alarm when a began to choke on the gum.

The bus was stopped suddenly to allow paramedics to reach the girl.

One passenger, who did not wish to be named, said: “There was a lot of screaming downstairs.

“This woman was clutching a little child.

“Her lips were blue and black. Her eyes were rolling back in her head. She was unconscious.”

A man ambulance staff described as an army medic gave the girl emergency treatment to allow her to breathe.

He is believed to have been wearing the insignia of the elite army Pathfinder platoon.

The passenger said:” A big bloke took over the situation. He checked her eyes, chest, heart. He did first aid on her. Nothing happened at first. He did it again and tried a bit of heart massage and mouth to mouth.

“The ambulance driver said he saved the girl’s life.”

The girl was conscious when paramedics arrived and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, for treatment.

Neither Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company nor South East Coast Ambulance Service knew the man’s identity yesterday.

An ambulance service spokesman said: “A member of the public believed to be an army medic acted quickly to clear the child’s airway.

“We would like to thank the man for his swift actions, which show the value of first aid skills.”