Pensioner is saved by pendant

Diabetic Betty Petch managed to press the panic button pendant worn around her neck as felt herself losing consciousness.

Ms Petch had been playing bingo at the Park Court Community Centre in Dormanstown, near Redcar, east Cleveland, when she felt faint.

She was escorted home by friends but began to feel worse.

Back indoors she fell and started to black out.

However, she was able to press her alarm pendant, which provides a direct link with an on-call warden service, and a doctor was quickly summoned.

The pendant was supplied by Homecall, a service that allows homes to be fitted with sensors that can detect danger, raise alarms or give immediate help.

The Homecall service was set up in 2003.

Ms Petch said: "I have had diabetes for a number of years and I am on regular medication.

"However, for some reason I suddenly felt unwell and when I got home I began to feel worse.

"I went very weak, fell down and began to panic but I managed to press the pendant to alert a warden, who thankfully arrived within minutes.''

The doctor called to the scene was able to administer insulin to revive Ms Petch, who has now completely recovered.

Fellow Dormanstown residents Elsie Hewitt and her daughter, Maureen Dadd, recently used the same Coast and Country Homecall service to raise the alarm and help police catch two teenage yobs causing a nuisance near their Dormanstown house.

Ronny Harris, Coast and Country's housing operations director, said: "I'm glad that Betty, Elsie and Maureen have benefited from the service.

"Their experiences have shown that Homecall can be very effective, particularly in an emergency."

The wardens themselves have been kitted out in new, easily-identifiable, uniforms.

Ronny said: "It is important that first-time Homecall users know they are safe when someone they have never met enters their property.

"Our wardens currently have an identification card but the uniforms will make them more easily identifiable before they reach the property."