A LITTLE girl aged just five has been hailed a hero after she saved her mum's life when she collapsed into a coma.

Single mum-of-two Emma Compston, who suffers from type 1 diabetes, suddenly fell into a potentially fatal diabetic coma early on Friday morning.

But her quick-thinking daughter Farrah McLaughlin, a P1 pupil at Gourock Primary, instantly realised what was wrong and summoned emergency help.

Emma of Gourock's Shore Street, said: "I still can't believe it.

"I don't think Farrah understands quite how serious it was.

"Had it not been for her, I would not be here.

"She saved my life."

The traumatic ordeal unfolded early in the morning when Emma was at home with Farrah and her two-year-old sibling Daisie.

Emma said: "I had woken up at about 6.50am to take my morning insulin and then went back to bed and fell into a hypo whilst I was sleeping, so I didn't wake up.

"Farrah awoke at 8am with my alarm.

"She came in to see me and in her words, she knew something was wrong because I was heavily sweating and my face was red."

Little Farrah remembered the six digit passcode for her mum's mobile and used it to call for help.

Emma added: "The fact that Farrah kept calm and remembered the code to my phone is astounding.

"Amazingly, she also thought about who the best person would be to phone.

"She said she thought my sister Lucy was working and that her nana wasn't well, so she then called her dad.

"He lives in Port Glasgow and he instructed Farrah to call my sister Lucy who lives two minutes along the street."

Lucy ran to the house where she found Farrah taking everything in her stride.

Emma said: "Lucy ran over and called an ambulance and Farrah was able to tell her the postcode when her mind went blank as she was so worried.

"Farrah completely kept her cool the whole time according to Lucy."

Paramedics rushed to the scene and managed to bring Emma back round after administering glucagon medicine.

Emma added: "I obviously had no idea what was happening but I came round at about 10.30.

"My temperature was right down so the paramedics stayed with me until midday."

Emma says she feels so lucky to be alive.

She added: "My blood sugar was 1.3 by the time the paramedics got there, which is extremely low.

"If it was not for Farrah, I would not be alive.

"I don't think she quite realises how much she saved my life.

"Had I been ill an hour later and managed to get Farrah to school and came home, I wouldn't be here right now."

Emma has suffered from type 1 diabetes for 12 years and has five insulin injections a day.

She says that giving birth to Farrah was when she started to take her diabetes seriously.

Emma told the Tele: "Before I had Farrah I was not controlling my diabetes - I was rebelling against it.

"I didn't feel like I had anything to live for.

"But when Farrah was born I started to look after myself and take my insulin."

Farrah told her mum she was looking forward to being in the Telegraph after her exploits.

Emma said: "Farrah absolutely loves the Tele, she was in it at nursery and for her P1 picture and it made her day."

The talented youngster also enjoys swimming, singing, drama.

As a special treat for her heroics, her nana Patricia Compston took her out for a meal to The Exchange in Greenock.

Emma said: "When the staff heard of what happened that morning, they chipped in to pay for Farrah's lunch which was a very nice thing to do.

"She's an incredibly clever little girl and now a life saver too.

"Some people really underestimate kids but they can be more able than adults.

"They are not too young to do anything.

"I will never underestimate Farrah's abilities."