A Croydon woman has praised a group of students who rushed to help her recently widowed father after he broke his shoulder during a fall.

Margarita Roussou and her 87-year-old dad Grigorios Roussos had just come out of the David Lean Cinema in Katharine Street when he tripped over the edge of the pavement.

"He fell onto his arm, broke his shoulder and was in great agony," Margarita said.

And that's when the pair got the shock of their lives.

"The group of students were coming our way and saw him fall," she added.

"The young ladies knew first aid techniques, two of them took off their coats and folded them up and placed them beneath my dad’s head, on the muddy ground.

"One young lady pulled down the zipper of his coat so he could breath more easily. They asked him about his head if he felt dizzy or nauseous and one of them called the ambulance."

Although Margarita didn't catch the names of the entire group, she wanted to thank them for how they handled the situation.

"I was stunned at the students' lucidity, composure and dedication to help us," Margarita continued.

"When I told them they could leave and that there was no need to stay with until the ambulance arrived, they all refused.

"While the young ladies were busy with first aid assistance and calling the ambulance the 4-5 young men stood guard around us. It felt so lucky to have these young people around us, guarding us and protecting."

When the ambulance crew arrived they praised the work of the students for their composure throughout the whole situation.

Although the event left both Margarita and Grigorios shaken, it fortified their faith in the youth of Croydon.

"I can't thank them enough," she said.

"They were a God send. My father and I want to thank them with all our heart.

"I also want to thank all those people in their lives who taught them compassion and responsibility for their fellow humans.

"I have lived in many countries in the world but the first time I have experienced such altruistic compassion was in Katharine Street on December 5. May all your wishes come true in 2020 and may all of you fulfil your great potential. God bless you all."