A young woman with epilepsy has started a campaign to show people how to react when someone suffers a seizure.

Mikaela Greenwood, from Muswell Hill, created a short film to show tips and techniques that can reduce the risk of injury to the person.

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The 24-year-old said: “Watching someone have a seizure, whether it’s for the first time or the hundredth time, is a frightening thing.

“The more you understand it and realise what you are able to do, the more help you will be and there will be less chance of any accidents happening.”

Mikaela, who works for London-wide housing association Sanctuary Housing, created the film with the help of her employers and the Fixer charity, which helps young people promote a charitable idea or cause.

She also hopes the film will dispel current myths on how to react to epilepsy seizures, which can do more damage than good.

She said: “There are a lot of old wives’ tales about what you should do when someone has a seizure. For example, holding them down or putting a spoon in their mouth to stop them swallowing their tongue.

“You don’t do any of this because you can actually cause long term problems to the epileptic person as well as the person who is trying to help them who may get injured.

“I hope the film will be used in diversity working groups, large companies, schools and colleges. The more awareness that is raised about this the better.”