AN Evesham mother, who feared her toddler would lose his finger after it got stuck in a bracket on his cot, has praised emergency services.

Josh Elliott, aged 18 months, of Linden Close was playing in his cot at around 9am last Saturday when the bottom of the bed fell out. The force of the incident resulted in the youngster's right index finger becoming wedged in a metal bracket.

Josh's mother Zena Panting said: "I heard something collapse and at first I thought the wardrobe had fallen over, then my eldest son Kyle told me to come quickly. Josh had been bouncing on his bed and caught his finger."

After several unsuccessful attempts to free Josh an ambulance was called. Paramedics unscrewed the bracket from the cot and took the toddler downstairs, but his finger had become very swollen and it was clear special cutting equipment would be needed.

Miss Panting said: "Josh was crying and his finger has started to go blue and very cold - I was terrified. His finger was swollen like a balloon and I thought he was going to have to have it amputated or lose the use of it."

Firefighters used a variety of tools, including a hacksaw, to free Josh's finger. The saw could only be used for a few seconds at a time to prevent the heat generated burning Josh.

Miss Panting said: "It was all a bit dramatic but the paramedics and firefighters attended and did a good job."

Paramedic officer David Macdonald said: "After the bracket was removed the baby was taken to the minor injuries unit at Evesham Hospital and he had full movement in his finger. It was quite an unusual incident but fortunately it really went well and there was a happy ending." Miss Panting, whose baby quickly recovered, said the cot was to be disposed of this week anyway to make way for a new bed. "We just weren't expecting all this beforehand," she added.

4 Josh and Zena Panting. Picture: IAN CAMERON dc7201-a