Nine-year-old Dean Strachan raised the alarm after grocer dad Eddie, 34, suffered a hypoglacemic-related fit (low blood sugar) whilst in the bath at his home in Ballater.

Despite never having seen his father suffer a such a fit before, brave Dean remained calm and telephoned family members before fetching a sugary drink to help bring Eddie round.

Eddie, who works at Strachans in Ballater, was in no doubt that his son's actions had saved his life.

"I can remember giving my son a bath and when he came out, I got in", he said. "The next thing I can remember is that my son was crying and shivering next to me and I didn't know what was going on. There was water everywhere and he was trying to give me Lucozade and chocolate.

"He phoned my mother, my brother Benjamin and my friends. He totally saved my life because I don't know what would've happened after that".

Eddie, who has had type-a diabetes for 18 years, has to inject himself with insulin four or five times a day to control the condition.

"You can control it but it can just hit you and you don't know it's going to happen", he said. "I've had heaps of them (hypos) over the past 18 years, but this is the first time my son's seen it".

Eddie said he thought he must have been in the bath for around an hour when Banchory Primary School pupil Dean came to his aid.

"Dean told me afterwards that he could hear me splashing about in the bath and he came through to check I was ok", he said. "I'm so proud of him. If he wasn't there, I would be in the hospital now and not well.

"I've told him the past 'if you see anything wrong with dad, get some Lucozade' but it's the first time he's actually had to do it.

"He's a good boy and my little hero. I was surprised and amazed that he was calm, as I wouldn't have expected him to remain so calm".

Only-child Dean lives in Glebe Park, Banchory, with mum, Shona Bragg, 30.

She said: "I was speaking about diabetes to another parent at the football on Sunday morning, in front of Dean, so whether any of that sunk in, I don't know.

"I had said to him that if anything ever happened 'remember and just phone mum' and he had said 'but dad said phone Nana first!'

"Eddie was in the bath and never locks the bathroom door because he is diabetic. Dean said his dad wasn't talking, just splashing, and was looking at nothing.

"I am very proud of Dean and he's been given one or two treats this week!"