A five-year-old girl has been honoured by fire chiefs after her and her best friend saved her epileptic Mum from a kitchen blaze at their home.
Paige Reader and friend Olivia Davies, nine, from Fochriw, were awarded the Chief Fire Officer’s Letter of Commendation at the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s presentation evening.
The pair raised the alarm when they smelt smoke and pulled Auburn Reader, 23, who was suffering from an epileptic seizure, away from the flames.
Ms Reader was cooking pasta when the seizure struck, ultimately causing the fire at their home in Fochriw earlier this year.
Speaking to Mail Online, she said: “They did pretty much save my life. I was cleaning the kitchen and boiling some pasta. I had accidentally dropped something onto the worktop.
“I used the tea towel to dry it and I saw the pasta burning. I could feel a seizure coming on and put the tea towel on the side next to the cooker.”
The girls were helped by Olivia’s mother Mary-Ellen Davies, who tackled the blaze while they began to drag Ms Reader out of the house.
Huw Jakeway, Chief Fire Officer, said: “The courage and calm of Paige and Olivia in dealing with the situation, at such a young age, is beyond words. Their quick thinking ensured that not only was Paige’s mother safely removed from danger, the fire was also extinguished before it could cause more serious damage or injury.
“It was an honour to present both Olivia and Paige with a letter of commendation, they are remarkable little girls and are shining examples of the ongoing work we do in schools.”