A QUICK-thinking St Neots schoolboy who saved his sister’s life has been branded a hero by emergency medical charity Magpas.

Twelve-year-old Lynden Gray leapt into action after a sweet became lodged in sister Honey’s throat during a car journey on Saturday (September 22).

After failing to dislodge the sweet by patting the back of seven-year-old Honey, pictured with her father Zayia, the football-mad youngster put his fingers down her throat and pulled the sweet from her mouth.

Grandmother Valerie Gray, 63, said: “It was so frightening. I couldn’t believe Lynden managed to pull the sweet out of Honey’s throat – she was choking to death and couldn’t breathe.

“I dread to think what could have happened – all these thoughts were running through my head.”

The children were travelling with their grandparents to a birthday party in Lowestoft.

They left Mrs Gray’s home in Lansbury Close at 11am and headed to the A14 but an hour into the journey horror struck.

“We were driving along, singing and playing games and everything was fine,” Mrs Gray said.

“Lynden was playing on his phone and Honey had asked for one of the Haribo sweets we had for the journey.

“The next thing I knew I heard a gasping noise from the back. The seatbelt alert suddenly came on and I realised the children were out of their seats.

“I turned round to see Lynden patting Honey on the back and I shouted at my husband Owen to stop the car but he couldn’t – there was no hard shoulder and nowhere for us to stop.”

Mr Gray, 60, pulled into the slow lane and finally found somewhere to park.

“By that time, Lynden had managed to get the sweet out of her throat,” Mrs Gray said.

Longsands Academy student Lynden said: “At first when Honey started coughing I didn’t realise she was in trouble, because she’s had a really bad cold but she started making noises and then I knew something was wrong.”

The youngster immediately pushed his sister forward and began patting her vigorously on the back.

“Nothing was happening so I opened her mouth even wider, put my fingers down her throat and managed to snap a bit of the sweet off. I realised then that I had to go even deeper which is when I managed to get the whole sweet out.”

Lynden said no-one had taught him what to do in such a situation - he just used his “common sense”.

“Nobody had to prompt him as to what to do,” Mrs Gray said. “He just got on and saved his sister’s life.

“We’re all very proud of him – he’s such a star.”

A spokesman for Magpas said: “There are so many unsung heroes in our local communities who perform incredible feats of quick thinking and action and they should be celebrated.”