Two pre-teen sisters spent over two hours deep inside a well in a Nicosia suburb on Wednesday, until the younger child climbed 40 meters straight up to call for help after calls had gone unanswered.

According to the Fire Department, two girls aged 11 and 9 were playing outdoors in Lakatamia, a western suburb of Nicosia, on Wednesday near a deep groundwater well.

At one point a makeshift cap used to cover the surface of the well collapsed, sending both sisters some 40 meters straight down.

FD spokesperson Andreas Kettis wrote on Twitter that the two girls were calling for help for two and a half hours but never got any response.

“Then the 9-year-old girl dared and climbed the water pipe inside the well, covering a vertical distance of 40 meters until she reached the surface and notified their parents,” Kettis wrote.

Emergency rescuers and first responders from the district who rushed to the scene managed to pull the older sister, who was reportedly not injured.

Kettis, who posted a video of the rescue, praised the courage shown by the two girls and further called on property owners and state agencies to inspect and secure wells and pits.

“Well done to the little girls for their bravery! Well done to the members of the Fire Stations in Nicosia for a flawless and successful rescue operation,” Kettis wrote.