Three Winchester schoolchildren have been hailed as heroes for saving an OAP after his wheelchair went out of control.

Stan Calder (82), of General Johnson Court, Stanmore, thought his time was up when he lost control of his chair after an angina attack.

Visions of crashing into a block of flats and losing his fingers in the spokes flashed through his mind before he managed to stop the runaway chair at the bottom of Battery Hill.

The Desert Rat, who has shrapnel wounds in both knees, was left badly shaken and semi-conscious. His only hope was that someone would find him and his Good Samaritan turned out to be Harry Shelswell (11), who walked past and then turned to ask: "Are you all right, mister?"

When Stan said he needed help, the youngster ran to get friends, Lewis Murrell and Danielle Castle, both eight, who were nearby.

Harry asked Danielle, who goes to St Bede School, to look after Stan while he and Lewis bought him a newspaper, the reason for his trip out. Stan said: "Some would call her a chatterbox, but I thought she was a treasure. She told me all about her grandmother and how she was in a wheelchair, too. Listening to her helped bring me round."

Harry and Lewis pushed Stan back to his flat. "They took the brakes off and started pushing. Where they found the strength, I don't know. The little boy was so determined. They are all heroes and I believe they saved my life. I really thought I was going to die in a wheelchair after going all through the war."

Stan was too worn out to thank them properly, but traced them through Stanmore School, where Harry and Lewis are pupils and invited them with their mothers to his home.He gave them £5 each and a collage of the Battle of Alamein, which has been added to the school's collection.

Headteacher, Michael Hughes, said: "We are very proud of our young people. Our motto is 'care, courtesy and consideration' and we encourage children to practise this inside and outside our community."