A PAIR of Southampton carers battled the Arctic weather to ensure nine elderly city residents were looked after during the cold snap.

Louise Howe-Piper and Magdalene Wisniewska worked up to ten hours a day looking after the residents in Woolston through the cold period, braving icy conditions to visit each one up to three times a day.

The pair, who work for nursing and homecare agency Medico, were nominated to be Daily Echo Big Chill Heroes by 84-year-old Joyce Collins from Church Road in Woolston.

Joyce said: “Louise and Magda are real heroes.

“If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have even been able to get out of bed in the morning.

“They do everything for me and I am so thankful to them for helping me.”

Louise, 45, said: “The roads round Woolston have been absolutely horrendous but our only concern was making sure all our patients were alright. Not making it to work was not an option.”

See today's Daily Echo for our top 100 tips to beat the chill