SCHOOLBOY Mitchell Currie has been praised as a “hero” for raising the alarm when an elderly woman had a fall at a care home.

Teachers at King Alfred’s Academy, in Wantage, say they are “not surprised” at his selfless actions, and Mitchell said he would do the same any time.

Mitchell, 14, and friends were walking past Framland care home, in Naldertown, on September 10 when they saw an elderly woman had fallen in the grounds.

They called to her, but not receiving an answer Mitchell scrambled over the wall and ran to alert staff. He was unwilling to talk about his actions but Home manager Beth Kneale said: “Olive had only been outside a matter of minutes but the student’s quick action meant we were able to go to her aid straightaway.

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“She was conscious and an ambulance was called as a precautionary measure, but she’s absolutely fine now.”

She said Mitchell, a year 10 pupil, was “calm and very sensible” and led her to Olive.

“He asked if there was anything else he could do and I asked him if he could run to fetch another member of staff, which he did.

“We are very impressed with the initiative shown by him and the other students and Olive’s family are very grateful for his kind actions.”

King Alfred’s headteacher Jo Halliday said she was “delighted but not surprised” by his response.

She said: “Many students at King Alfred’s really understand the importance of leadership, and this is what Mitchell has clearly shown.”

She said the 14-year-old, who was unwilling to talk about his actions, had set an example to young people in Wantage about the importance of taking responsibility in their community.

She added: “I recently took a call from a woman about two King Alfred’s boys who helped her with a flat tyre. We have been unable to trace them so far, but are working on it.”

Year 10 student manager Kelly Atkins said: “It is typical of Mitchell that he thought nothing of it at the time.

“It was the natural instinct of him and his friends to offer to help.”

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