TWO schoolboys have been hailed heroes after they went to the rescue of a woman who collapsed in the street.

Sam Lawrence and Adam Majid were in Blackburn Road, Egerton, on Sunday when they saw the woman in her 30s suddenly fall to the ground.

Adam, aged 12, who lives in Sharples, said: "As soon as we saw her we just ran up to her to help, we knew we had to do something. I tried to put her in the recovery position because I had seen them doing it on the television and we have been taught about it at school. I was checking her pulse, we were really worried."

Sam, also aged 12, from Egerton, said: "It was quite scary. I called an ambulance because I knew that's what we had to do and then we saw a Mountain Rescue vehicle so we flagged that down.

"Someone had blankets so we started wrapping her in those, we just wanted to make sure she was ok."

After keeping the woman warm the boys then got the number of her husband and called him to let him know what had happened.

The pair have now been hailed heroes by Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, their parents and their teachers at Turton High School. Sam said: "I don't think we are heroes. Our instincts just took over, we knew we had to help her. I don't think it's a good thing to do, I think it's something anyone would do."

Adam added: "I'm quite proud that everyone is calling us heroes. But if I had just left her then and had not done anything to help I would have hated myself."

After their heroics, Jill Leigh, chairman of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, arranged for a certificate of thanks to be sent to their school.

She explained: "Not only did the lads flag us down and call an ambulance but they stayed with us helping until the lady was taken away. To see that was really lovely. For two boys of such a young age to think to do that and help needed recognising."

After the woman had been treated by the paramedics, she was taken home and the boys returned home to their parents.

Sam's mum Louise Lawrence said: "We are so proud of what he did. He is very calm under pressure so I am not surprised by his actions.

"When he came home he was a bit shaken and upset, he was worrying about whether the woman would be ok or not. He's a good lad and he knew what to do, we are really proud."

Adam's mum Carole said at first she thought her son was joking when he said what he had done.

She added: "I couldn't believe it at first when he said what he had done. It is really amazing and we are really proud of him."