A CARING Bolton woman who befriended an old man and brought him back from a living hell has been presented with a top award.

Christine Hough, of Adelaide Street, Daubhill, was one of only three people in the north of England to be honoured at the Palace Hotel, Manchester, with the Red Cross Care in Crisis Award.

She was nominated by the Bolton Evening News.

The annual awards are presented by the Red Cross to people who have showed incredible determination and courage to help others.

Christine was nominated for the award by the BEN after she befriended 75-year-old Jimmy Griffiths.

Two years ago he was a sad figure of an old man, who was so disillusioned with life and society he hadn't had a wash for over two years. He had been robbed and tricked so many times at his home in Grisdale Road, Deane, he trusted no one.

She slowly worked her way into Jimmy's life, building up a friendship.

She contacted Social Services, but they couldn't help so she put him on the floor and phoned 999.

Luckily, thanks to his 'guardian angel', Jimmy has now put his past behind him and lives a content life of luxury in Glenholmes Nursing Home in Heaton.

After an overwhelming response from readers to her story in July, the BEN decided to nominate Christine for the prestigious award.

Christine attended the ceremony at the plush Manchester hotel yesterday with her son Lee, grand-daughter Amie and friend Nicole Massey.

She told the BEN: "I never, ever expected anything like this. It was the last thing on my mind when I was helping Jimmy out. I am chuffed to bits. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before but it is really just a shame I have had to do it in the first place. Seeing what he was like, it is something I would have done for anyone." Christine joined Susan Jobson from Hartlepool, who brought a new-born baby back from the brink of death by mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and 10-year-old David Bradley from the Wirral, who used himself as a shield to prevent his baby niece going though the windscreen of a car when it crashed.

She now has to hold her breath for a week to see if she will be chosen to go forward as a national prize winner.

If chosen, she will be treated to an all-expenses paid stay in a top London hotel and attend a special ceremony with many celebrities and sports stars.

Edith Conn, deputy president of the Greater Manchester branch of the Red Cross, said: "The three people here have done exceptionally well to be chosen from such a high number of nominees. It was very difficult to choose and it will be even more difficult to choose the ones to go forward to the national awards ceremony in London in November."

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