AN HEROIC youngster who saved an elderly woman’s life while on his paper round has been named the UK’s news deliverer of the year, in recognition of his selfless act.

Myles Whittaker, 15, of Coronation Drive, Dalton-in-Furness, was the star of the show at a glittering awards ceremony in London where his quick-thinking and con-scientious nature were re-warded.

Myles was on his Dalton paper round and beginning to post the evening paper through the letterbox of Marjorie Knight’s home in Greystone Lane when he saw her lying on the floor.

Spotting his dad Allan walking past, the thoughtful teenager, who works for Beddalls newsagent, in Market Street, alerted him and while Mr Whittaker rang 999, Myles talked to Mrs Knight, who is in her eighties, through the letter-box to reassure her and keep her conscious.

After the emergency serv-ices arrived, firefighters entered the house through a bedroom window to rescue Mrs Knight, whose arm was bleeding.

She was taken to hospital by ambulance where she was also treated for a serious head injury and kept in for several days.

“I feel great about this award,” said the prize-winning paperboy, a pupil at Dowdales School, who was overjoyed to pick up a trophy and bike vouchers.

Describing the incident, he said: “I talked to her through the letterbox. She was on the floor with a walking aid on top of her. She was in distress saying: ‘It hurts, it hurts’.

“I was trying to keep her calm and awake, but I had no real idea what had happened on the other side of the glass.”

The trophy is awarded by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents for “out-standing commitment to news delivery”.

A spokesman for the NFRN said: “Mrs Knight could have been on the floor for a long time and her life would have been in danger if not for Myles’ actions.”