A 19-month-old girl had to be rescued by firefighters after getting her leg stuck – in a shopping trolley.
Keeley O’Brien was being wheeled around the store by mum Leanne Bradbury, 19, when her foot slipped through bars around the child seat.
The screaming tot was trapped in the trolley at Tesco Extra in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., for an hour on Wednesday evening as her parents, shoppers and staff all failed to free her leg.
Firefighters were eventually called at 7.40pm – and were forced to use specialist cutting equipment normally used in car crashes to free the toddler.
Leanne, from Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, said: “It was horrible. Keeley was screaming and there was nothing I could do.
“We tried to help her out of the trolley but she was really stuck and I didn’t want to hurt her. I’m just so relieved it wasn’t more serious.
“I don’t know how it happened. She was strapped into the seat, but then she started crying and I saw her foot was twisted around behind her.
“She was confused and upset and we just really wanted to get her out as quickly as possible.”
Keeley was in the trolley alongside six-month-old brother Benjamin when she started shouting after her leg became trapped when they were in the clothes aisle.
An off-duty paramedic shopping in the store was also unable to release Keeley so Tesco staff dialled 999.
Kindhearted workers took Keeley into an office and gave her toys to play with while they waited for firefighters to arrive.
Dad Daniel O’Brien said: “She must have been stuck in the trolley for at least 50 minutes by the time the fire crews arrived.
“They got out these big metal cutters and started to cut her free.
“It only took them about five minutes to actually cut her out but Keeley was confused and frightened. It was a nightmare.”
Remarkably, Keeley escaped her ordeal with just a bruised ankle.
A spokesman for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a call at 7.40pm concerning a young child who had her leg stuck in a trolley at Tesco Extra.
“One crew from Hanley attended the incident and the girl was released by 8pm.”
A Tesco spokesman added: “We were very sorry to hear about this incident and are glad little Keeley is all right.
“Our colleagues did everything they could to help.”
