WHEN two-year-old Alana O’Connor started toilet training, it was supposed to put an end to little accidents.

But the tot was caught out on a trip to the supermarket in Mossley – her portable training seat got stuck on her head.

Despite mum Shelley’s best attempts, it just would not budge.

But thanks to a quick-thinking shop worker, Alana’s ordeal was soon over.

She pointed out a fire station across the road and the crew there managed to cut her free.

Shelley, 31, from Oldham, said she was at the checkout when the drama unfolded.

She said: "She’d started training at the start of the week and this was the first time she’d taken the seat out with her. I was paying at the checkout of the Co-op in Mossley when I heard her shout ‘Mummy’. I turned round and it was stuck on her head. She was a bit frantic and was screaming the place down. I tried to pull it off, but got nowhere, so then I tried to pull it down, but it got lodged on her shoulders. I was going to take her to accident and emergency, but the checkout woman said I should take her to the fire station. I carried her over and was comforting her. I pressed the bell and one of the firemen came out with a big smile on his face. We went in and about six of them gathered round while he cut it off."

Alana  said she had learned her lesson. "It was scary," she said. "I won’t do it again."

Mossley firefighter Russ Winterbottom, 51, was the hero of the day.

He said: "I’ve actually seen things like this before. Alana was very calm, to be honest, and when we took it off she had a big smile on her face."