Four-year-old Amelia already knew her grandparents were the best.

But now she has scooped them an award to prove it.

Amelia, of Golcar, asked her mum to help her nominate her grand-parents Maria and John Lodge for the Super Grandparents award.

The competition was run by the Care for the Family charity to highlight the important role grandparents play in a young child’s life.

Amelia said: “My grandparents are really super. They play with me all the time and do their best to make my life amazing.

“My grandad plays the Gruffalo with me in the woods and every Wednesday I go swimming and for lunch with Grandma.

“I wish every child was as lucky as me.”

Founder of Care for the Family and author of The Sixty Minute Grandparent, Rob Parsons said: “Grandparents and grandchildren share a special bond.

“As adults many of us can remember sharing time with our grand-parents and building memories to last a lifetime.

“The Super Grandparent Awards offer an opportunity to celebrate grandparents who have made an amazing contribution to family life and give them the recognition they deserve.

“Although the standard of entries was incredibly high, Maria and John stood out as exceptionally pro-active grandparents,” he added.

“They take genuine pleasure in looking after their grandchild and always have time for her.”

And the award comes as a survey by the insurance group RIAS revealed that grandparents are saving their off-spring thousands in child care costs.

The survey showed parents nearly 10 million elderly Britons now look after their grandchildren for nothing while their adult children are at work.

The number of grandparents who provide free childcare has soared by more than 60 per cent in just five years, according to research.

It said a typical couple whose parents take over childcare duties get more than eight hours a week of free babysitting, saving them more than £1,650 a year.