Paper boy finds collapsed elderly man after seeing untouched newspaper

Falkirk paper boy Callum Clydesdale knew something was wrong when he saw the previous day's newspaper still lodged in his elderly neighbour's letterbox.

Callum knew Bob Stewart was an active man, and that it was unusual for him to neglect his post.

He went round the back of the 97-year-old's house to check on him - and discovered him lying unconscious on his kitchen floor.

Despite being in a state of shock and fear, the 14-year-old phoned 999 and helped alert Bob's family as he was rushed to hospital.

His actions meant Bob's daughter was able to quickly fly home and spend precious time with her father before his death days later - something she has thanked Callum for personally.

Callum's quick thinking has now won him a place on the shortlist for the BBC's Make a Difference awards, in the Young Hero category.

Bob had lived next door to Callum's family for years prior to his death - with Callum delivering his paper for several months.

The S4 pupil had started his paper round one holiday Monday in October last year when Bob's door caught his eye.

"I noticed that the paper was still hanging in the door flap and it wasn't like normal, so I went round the back to see if everything was ok," said Callum.

"We always used to see him out and about on walks and stuff. He was usually quite an active guy, so this happening was odd.

"I saw Bob on the floor in the kitchen, I could see through the glass door."

Startled, Callum initially feared his neighbour had died.

He said: "I got a really big fright - so I knocked on the door and started shouting through the door to see if he could hear me.

"And then I saw his finger twitch and then I knew he was alive.

"So, I messaged my mum and she said to go round to the neighbours and call the ambulance."

Callum faced an anxious 30-minute wait for the ambulance crew.

He said: "My heart was racing, I didn't really know what to do, I was just thinking what happened to him."

Callum and his mum said their neighbour Bob Stewart was 'a lovely man'

Bob was rushed to hospital while their neighbour called his daughter in England.

Callum's mum Lesley-Ann said: "Her getting phoned as soon as she did meant she managed to get a flight straight away and was up at the hospital by teatime that night.

"So it gave her vital time with her dad."

Bob died in hospital a few days later.

Lesley-Ann said: "Callum finding him when he did was vital for him otherwise he would have died alone in his house.

"They think the timeline of him falling has happened sometime on Sunday during the day."

Lesley-Ann said Bob was "an amazing man".

She said: "He was so independent, such a lovely man. We got on very well over the years with him, he was just smashing.

"To see him have such an unfortunate way to go was just heartbreaking."

Callum added: "I'm really proud I was able to do that, for his daughter to be able to see him in his final moments and spend time together."

Make a Difference awards

Later this month, Callum will find out whether he has been named Young Hero in the BBC's Make a Difference awards at a ceremony in Glasgow.

The judge for the award is Sheli McCoy, CrossFit athlete and weightlifter, who appears as Sabre for BBC One's Gladiators.

The winners will also be announced on BBC Radio Scotland's Mornings programme with Kaye Adams on 29 September.

Rev Scott Burton, of Callum's local church in the village of Brightons, said the whole community was very proud of him.

He said: "Callum has shown the ability to think of others, to notice, and to take the initiative.

"Our young people are helping us show the way forward to a more caring community and society, and Callum is playing his part in that.

"I'm delighted he has been nominated and hope he wins."

Radio presenters Michelle McManus and Kaye Adams helped create the shortlist for the Make A Difference awards

Callum said he was "really happy" at his nomination, with mum Lesley-Ann saying she was "completely blown away" by the news.

She said: "It was so unexpected.

"Callum's just really got on with the job he was doing.

"He's quite a quiet lad, good-natured, good fun and I'm absolutely delighted for him."