Paige and Caoimhe helped to save their grandmother Aileen

Aileen Minnikin, 64, of Galashiels, was in danger of slipping into a diabetic coma as her blood sugar levels dropped.

Grandchildren Paige, 9, and Caoimhe, 5, kept their calm and pulled her away from the gas fire in her home before calling emergency services.

An ambulance service spokesman said the girls' actions had been "fantastic".

Kevin Douglas, team leader at Galashiels, said Mrs Minnikin could easily have died if it were not for the quick-thinking of the schoolgirls.

It is all down to the girls that I am standing here today Aileen Minnikin

"It is just fantastic what the girls did," he said.

"This was a very stressful situation and they couldn't have handled it better.

"There was a real chance that Mrs Minnikin could have slipped into a diabetic coma and died."

Mr Douglas presented both girls with awards for their actions last month.

"It is frightening enough for an adult to see someone having a hypo, never mind young children by themselves," he said.

"The paramedics who attended the scene both said the girls deserved a medal."

'Absolutely brilliant'

Mrs Minnikin of Langlee, Galashiels, who has been a diabetic for more than 30 years, said she was only alive thanks to the girls.

She said the first thing she noticed when she came round was that her granddaughters had tidied the living room as well.

"It is all down to the girls that I am standing here today," she said.

"They were absolutely brilliant.

For the Minnikin girls to compose themselves to the extent that they guided emergency services to their house is a credit Steven Irvine Community safety officer

"The girls somehow managed to pull me away from the fire and Caoimhe was holding me up and kept saying "granny" and I remember hearing her and trying to stay awake and Paige dialled 999 - she was so calm."

Paige, a pupil at Glendinning Primary School in Galashiels, explained why she had made the call.

"I phoned 999 and said I wanted an ambulance because granny was speaking funny and not making any sense," she said.

"I kept talking to them on the phone until the ambulance got here."

Scottish Borders Council is hoping to launch a new scheme soon to celebrate such acts of child bravery.

"The concept behind the award is promoting safety in general and people out there who are doing good deeds should be recognised," said community safety officer Steven Irvine.