A YOUNG York girl turned Good Samaritan when she stopped to help a man who collapsed in the street - as adults passed by and ignored him.

Samantha Rayner, ten, of Elmfield Avenue, was praised for her "prompt, calm and caring" attitude by police and ambulance services at an award presentation at her school.

Presenting the award at Yearsley Grove Primary School, Sgt Nigel Tottie, of North Yorkshire Police's cycling unit, said Samantha had shown qualities that would equip her for a job in the force.

He said: "She was really brave and really calm. She tried to help the man and realised she couldn't, so she got someone to help."

Samantha was riding her bike along Haley's Terrace, off Huntington Road, at 4.30pm on October 16, when she saw a man who had collapsed in a fit in the street.

No one came to the man's assistance, so Samantha stopped to see what she could do.

Samantha's mother, Frances Rayner, said: "She tried to stop a few people, but nobody stopped apart from a lady and gentleman. I was surprised that no one stopped."

She had no experience of dealing with an emergency situation, so she got a passer-by to phone for an ambulance on her mobile phone.

An ambulance came and took the man to York Hospital, where he was treated and later released.

Robert Moody, 65, of Dijon Avenue, Acomb, was driving along Huntington Road when he saw what was happening and stopped his car.

He said: "I was driving along and all of a sudden I saw this man on the ground. This little lass went to his assistance. She was trying to summon help. She stayed with him all the time. She was absolutely brilliant."

Frances said she was "very proud" of her daughter.

Samantha said: "It was scary, but I wanted to help so I went up to him."

She was presented with a cycling helmet donated by Cycle Heaven, of Bishopthorpe Road, York.

Updated: 09:23 Saturday, October 25, 2003