A CARING schoolboy has been praised for going above and beyond the call of duty to help his community.

Aaron Smith-Sloman was the talk of the town in Neilston last week when he helped his elderly neighbours cope with the winter weather.

The 10-year-old Scout spent the night of January 23 clearing paths and spreading salt to ensure his neighbours in Harelaw Avenue didn’t slip and injure themselves.

Speaking to the Barrhead News, his proud dad James said: “Aaron came in the day after we’d had the bad snow and he said to my wife Sharon that he was going to clear the path, so she wouldn’t slip.

“He went out with a big shovel and cleared the path. We’ve got a grit bin in our street but it’s halfway down and he had to make three or four trips there with the shovel to clear away the ice and snow.

“Aaron did that for us and then he came in and said he was going to ask the neighbours if they needed help.

“He went to one of the ladies down the road that he talks to quite often, Shelia Anderson, and cleared her path, getting the grit and everything.

“She wanted to give him money for it but he was saying he just wanted to make sure she was safe and didn’t want the money.

“I was really proud of him.”

Mrs Anderson added that Aaron is a “great lad” who is always helping others.