A five-year-old had to be rescued by firefighters after getting stuck in a Thomas the Tank engine ride at a shopping centre.
Mother Tara McMullin, 23, from Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, was forced to call the emergency services after Ella McMullin broke into tears and screamed that she was stuck in the seat as the ride came to a halt. Unable to remove her panicked daughter from the seat, a team of four firefighters, three paramedics and two security guards were called to the scene in an effort to free the girl. Ms McMullin's sister Jessica, 26, posted the photographs from the incident online - racking up more than 3,000 likes in just a few days. On the day of the ordeal, the stay-at-home mother, who had been out grocery shopping with her daughter, had paid the £1.10 ($2AUD) fee for the ride and stood with her sister while the pair watched Ella enjoying her time on the children's train. However, when the mother and her sister both failed to pull Ella out of the ride, Ms McMullin was left with no other option but to seek help from the emergency services.
Mother Tara McMullin, 23, from Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, was forced to call the emergency services after Ella McMullin broke into tears and screamed that she was stuck in the seat as the ride came to a halt. Unable to remove her panicked daughter from the seat, a team of four firefighters, three paramedics and two security guards were called to the scene in an effort to free the girl. Ms McMullin's sister Jessica, 26, posted the photographs from the incident online - racking up more than 3,000 likes in just a few days. On the day of the ordeal, the stay-at-home mother, who had been out grocery shopping with her daughter, had paid the £1.10 ($2AUD) fee for the ride and stood with her sister while the pair watched Ella enjoying her time on the children's train. However, when the mother and her sister both failed to pull Ella out of the ride, Ms McMullin was left with no other option but to seek help from the emergency services.
A team of firefighters were then called out to the scene and worked on the ride for 40 minutes before little Ella was finally freed unharmedMs McMullin, who is also mother to two-year-old Lukas, said: 'It was about 6.30pm at night and my sister and I were getting some groceries with Ella at our local shopping centre.
'She saw the ride and naturally, kids being kids, asked if she could go on it. 'We paid the $2 for the ride, but then she started crying and telling us she was stuck.' We went over to her and tried to pull her out, but we couldn't. She was getting more panicked and I had no idea what to do.' I was trying to calm her down as she was getting very stressed as she couldn't move.' Her feet, knees, legs and bum were wedged completely.' My sister told me to call the fire department, and I didn't want to at first but then realised we needed their help.' The firefighters turned up along with the paramedics and some security guards. It was so embarrassing.' When they came, they were so nice about it, they also laughed with me and told me that it happens more often then you'd think.' They put a red harness underneath her, and one firefighter held her while the others pulled her out.'I was worried about her but also couldn't help but laugh at the whole thing.' A relieved Ms McMullin said that little Ella was completely fine after her ordeal on May 20 and was even excitedly telling her friends at school about what had happened the very next day. Ms McMullin added: 'She was totally fine the next day and wasn't traumatised at all.' The next day she was telling all her friends about what happened and was making up songs about it.' All my family and friends were laughing about it. Her facial expressions are the best.' You can see all the emotion right there. Her little face looks so angry and over it all.' They're classic photos and I can't wait to show her when she gets older. They will definitely be coming out on her 18th birthday.'