Real-life Lassie

Dec 3 2007

A real-life Lassie is to be awarded the animal equivalent of the George Cross.

Springer spaniel Ghillie saved the life of Mary Wilson, 61, when she had an epileptic fit and collapsed unconscious while walking on the remote Scottish island Orkney.

The dog, which was only nine months old at the time, ran for help to a group of men working nearby and repeatedly barked at them until they followed him to Mrs Wilson, from Fair Isle.

The dog’s gallantry during the emergency in December 2005 is to be rewarded with the prestigious People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals’ Gold Medal.