School sweethearts Ben Taylor and Emily McIntosh have become indispensable to the lives of 86-year-old couple Harry and Anne Pestell, dedicating every spare moment to helping them around the house.

And their caring actions have led to a nomination for the Stagecoach Young People of the Year in Cambridgeshire.

The couple, who are both 17, have been running errands and spending time with Harry and Anne for more than a year and have become a joy in the elderly couple's lives.

As joint nominees for Stagecoach YOPEY, Ben and Emily are in with a chance to win the top prize of £1,000 in a contest which has £2,000 to give to young people who inspire and give to others.

Contest organiser Tony Gearing said: "Not every young person is a binge-drinking, drug-taking, violent hoodie.

"YOPEY puts the fantastic kids, like Ben and Emily, in the media spotlight."

The teenagers started volunteering for the elderly couple as part of a scheme at their school, Sir Harry Smith Community College in Whittlesey, near Peterborough, but they continued to go around and help, even after they had finished.

The young couple, who are studying A-levels at the Eastrea Road school became friends with Harry and Anne because they live just a few doors away from Ben in West Delph, also in Whittlesey.

Harry said: "We've known Ben since he was a baby and he is such a lovely boy. Ben has always helped us but about a year ago he began bringing his girlfriend with him. We can trust Ben and Emily with anything in the house."

Anne added: "We lost our home-help some time ago and it was wonderful of Ben and Emily to come around and help.

"They do the shopping for us and help with the chores and just chat to us.

"Both of them will go to university next year and I'm not sure what we will do without them."

But Harry and Anne need not worry about Ben and Emily as they both hope to go to a university in Cambridge and will still live at home – and continue helping Harry and Anne.

Ben said: "Emily and I started out cleaning for Harry and Anne as part of a volunteer scheme in school, but we continued to help them afterwards and plan to do so in the future.

"Anne doesn't leave the house much because she is frail and until Harry became ill with heart problems, he used to do all the shopping.

"But since he has become housebound too, we pick up their shopping list once a week and buy the things from town."

Ben and Emily both enjoy spending time with the older couple and talking about their past experiences.

Harry and Anne served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, and married a few years after it ended in 1948.

Earlier this year, the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, and Ben and Emily were around to help organise a special family meal.

Emily, of Swan Close in Whittlesey, said: "We love to chat with them and have a nice time.

"Ben is studying science and Harry and Anne like to pick out useful bits from newspapers and pass them to him.

"We really enjoy helping them out and they really get pleasure out of our visits."

It was Ben and Emily's head of sixth form Jenny Smith, who nominated them for YOPEY.

She said: "They are lovely young people who have made a difference to the lives of an elderly couple.

"Young people don't really do things like this any more, but Ben and Emily do. They are gentle and kind and people should realise what they have been doing."

The contest is looking for young people who are positive role models and give to the community.

They should be aged 10-25 and live, work or study in Cambridgeshire, but the closing date for entries on Friday, November 7.

To nominate, visit the website at www.yopey.org.