'She's more than an angel' – Pauline's care for Helen, 85, includes driving 60 miles to hospital

Helen says she'd be lost without Pauline, who she says "is more than an angel."

Every time she calls into the store colleagues make a fuss of Helen and help her with her shopping, and Pauline even pops round to her house to make sure she's okay and bring her groceries if needed.

On a recent visit to her home Pauline was concerned about how Helen looked as she didn't seem herself. She phoned NHS 111 who advised her to take Helen to the local hospital in Berwick upon Tweed to be checked over.

They discovered that she was badly dehydrated and needed to be taken to the A&E department at the much bigger Cramlington Hospital some 60 miles south for treatment.

As the wait for an ambulance or patient transport was going to be at least a couple of hours Pauline decided to drive her there herself.

She said: "I just felt it was the right thing to do. It took us about an hour-and-a-quarter to get there, but I didn't mind one bit. It was good that Helen had some company."

Pauline stayed with her until they got her settled, which was in the early hours of the morning, before heading home. She then visited her regularly and brought her presents from colleagues as she celebrated her 85th birthday in hospital.

Pauline, who has alopecia, said: "Helen is a lovely lady and I love her to bits. Colleagues at our store are like a second family to her. She loves us all here and we love her – she's got such a wicked sense of humour.

"All the colleagues at the store look out for her and always take her shopping out to her car for her.

"She's out of hospital and back home but hasn't been back at the store yet so I'm getting her shopping for her and taking it round."

Helen, whose close family live in Australia, said: "Pauline is more than an angel – she's got two sets of wings! She is really fantastic. She's just a super, super person.

"Driving me all that way to hospital was just amazing. I can't fault her at all."

Pauline, who's been married to Michael for 38 years and has two grown-up children, Alex and Tom, and a five-year-old grandson, Joshua, has now been nominated for an Asda service superstar award.

She said: "I feel really humbled to have nominated for an award; I was pretty gobsmacked when I found out."

Store manager Tracy Spratt said: "Pauline is such a caring person and is a credit to the store. She will do anything to help anyone.

"She gets on great with all the customers here and you can hear her infectious laugh all over the store."