BUS DRAMA: Dawn Smith with mum Jean.

A THREE-year-old toddler sparked a full-scale emergency rescue operation when she got her head stuck between the seats of a Southampton bus.

Dawn Smith fell asleep next to her mother as the number six First Southampton bus travelled along University Road in Highfield.

Her head slipped between the metal frame of the seat and the window before becoming jammed in place, sparking an immediate response from police, ambulance and fire crews.

Pc John Apter said: "When I arrived she was starting to get a bit distressed so we tried to reassure her while we waited for the fire brigade to arrive.

"We had to support her in the same position because she could have injured herself if she had tried to twist."

The fire brigade decided the only answer was to completely remove the window, and within minutes the little girl was free.

Pc Apter said: "Her ears were a little swollen and she went to hospital for a check-up.''

Mum Jean Smith, 36, of Keswick Road, Woolston, couldn't praise her daughter's rescuers enough.

"They were just brilliant and did everything they could to keep Dawn calm."

Ian Phillips, managing director of First Southampton, said: "We have about 17 million passenger journeys every year in Southampton and it's the first time I have ever heard about anything like this happening.''

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