A PENSIONER has thanked a kind hearted mystery shopper who came to her aid after she had a diabetic hypo in Knutsford town centre.

Carole Atkinson, 75, who only moved to the town from Cumbria three months ago, said how she had been out for a walk last Thursday (February 11) before everything went blank.

"I'd set out to go for a walk and I walked further than I intended," Carole explained.

"I ended up down on Moorside and I wasn't sure which way to go as I've only been living here for three months.

"I didn't know which way one of the paths went so just headed down it and ended up on Mobberley Road by the church, so then I had to walk all the way back.

"I remember getting as far as the bottom of Church Hill."

The next thing Carole remembered is regaining conciousness as she was being helped into the back of an ambulance outside Boots on Kings Street.

She said: "I had no idea how I got to be outside Boots at all.

"I've been diabetic for 43 years now so I've had hypo's before, but never as bad as this.

"My husband, who died three years ago, used to pick up on when my blood sugar levels were getting low.

"Now I just have my little blood sugar reader in one pocket and a tube of glucose in the other, just in case."

Carole had actually been helped by several people, including staff from Boots who came out to assist, but also by a mystery shopper who helped prop her head up off the cold floor with a 12 pack of Schweppes Ginger Ale.

"Whoever it was, they must be drinking neat whiskey at the moment," she joked.

"As I've fallen I bumped my head and my hat must have fallen off and I think they must have just thought it would keep my head off the ground.

"And apparently a lady then came with a pillow and some blankets from somewhere behind King Street.

"The Pharmacist at Boots said he knows the lady by sight but he doesn't know her name or where she lives.

"So I just said to him if you could thank her so much because I'm very grateful, it was so kind of her.

"I was touched by the kindness shown to a stranger in need, and I am very grateful.

"I'm feel much better now but I'm not quite 100 per cent, but I'm getting there."

Carole is originally from Leeds, but moved down to Knutsford from Grange-over-Sands three months ago to be closer to her son and grandchild who live in Disley.

"He's only half an hour away now as opposed to two and a half," she said.

"As it happens, I haven't seen much of them since I moved anyway because of the latest lockdown, but we speak every day and I see my little grandson Vincent on video calls."