A "brave" four-year-old girl has received a police award for saving her mother's life by calling the emergency services after she collapsed and stopped breathing.

Suzie McCash dialled 999 for an ambulance after her mother Rowena suffered a respiratory arrest in the hallway of their home in Tynemouth following an allergic reaction to a substance.

Despite twice using an EpiPen - an adrenaline injection - the 33-year-old was unable to breathe properly.

Police have released a recording of the call the plucky youngster made, in which she described her mother's condition to the contact handler at Northumbria Police.

She can be heard telling Adam Hall: "Mummy hasn't answered yet, I don't know why, but she hasn't answered yet.


"She's just sitting on the sofa and doing nothing."

Asked if her mother's eyes are open, Suzie replies, "No, they're shut", before adding: "She is feeling really poorly ... I don't know if she can actually talk."

Her mother briefly comes to the phone and manages to tell the call handler she has an "allergy" before she collapses.

Image: The four-year-old met officers and police dogs: Pic: Northumbria Police

Suzie is asked if she can open the front door of her home. "I can't really reach the lock, but I'll have a go," she can be heard saying.

She manages to get it open and calls on a neighbour who unfortunately was not in.

The contact handler kept Suzie talking until the paramedics and police officers arrived and the youngster waved them into the house to tend to her mother.

Superintendent Nicola Musgrove, of Northumbria Police, said: "Suzie's mum stopped breathing altogether but paramedics were able to stabilise her.

"Had it not been for the quick actions of Suzie she would undoubtedly have died.

"She rang 999, knocked on a neighbour's door and opened the front door for the police officers and paramedics.

"She is a very brave little girl."

Her mother was taken to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital where she stayed overnight and was released the next day.