Georgina and Jessica Wilkinson, of High Meadows, Greetland, called paramedics and then unlocked the door so emergency medics could get in after their father David collapsed.

"They're my little heroes," he said. "I don't know what we would have done if the girls hadn't been here." Mr Wilkinson, 45, a sales director, suffered a stroke earlier this year and had to undergo major surgery to remove part of his skull and replace it with a metal plate.

He thought he was well into his recovery and was looking after the girls while his wife Christina, 41, went to the hairdresser's.

But he suffered a fit and fell, cutting his head as he collapsed.

"I remember my finger started twitching but after that I don't remember what happened," he said.

"The next thing I knew I woke up in hospital."

Georgina, four, said: "We were watching TV and heard l From Page 1
something go bump." Jessica, six, added: "We rang 999 and said our dad had had a fall. They told us to go next door and ask for help."

Georgina said: "Jessica got on a chair to reach the key and I held it so she didn't fall."

The girls managed to find the neighbours and, alerted by the sisters' call, paramedics arrived to rush Mr Wilkinson to hospital.

Mrs Wilkinson, a maths teacher at Brighouse High School, said: "We'd taught them both about 999 but I was amazed they were able to ring, stay calm and talk to people on the other end.

"I can't believe their ability to recall that information and use it. It must have been about three years ago now that we told them about it.
"We're really proud of them."

Mr Wilkinson is now home from hospital and he and his wife have made special bravery certificates and medals for the sisters, both pupils at Greetland Primary School.