Boy trapped in vending machine

The boy waits to be rescued inside the toy vending machine at an Australian shopping centre. Photo / @ToddStephen via Twitter

Emergency services have rescued a three-year-old boy who climbed inside a toy vending machine at an Australian shopping centre yesterday morning.

Police, ambulance paramedics and Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) teams were called to Lake Haven shopping centre on the Central Coast, north of Sydney, when Callum Sammut climbed inside the machine to get to the toys, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

"I called out 'Callum, where are you' and he said 'I'm here mum'...and he popped his head out [of the chute]" a bemused Tracey Sammut, Callum's mother, told Sky News.

VRA spokesman Andrew Bradley told the Central Coast Express Advocate that said four members of the association were forced to remove the door of the vending machine to free the child, who spent around an hour inside.

"Apparently the young boy had climbed up into the machine through the toy delivery chute," Mr Bradley said.

"He was released within 10 minutes (from when the VRA arrived) and was completely unharmed."

The machine contained large child-sized teddy bears so the delivery chute was big enough for the child to enter.

"How much air was in there, that was the first question I asked," Ms Sammut said.

"He's definitely got a bit of contortionist in him."

Witness Angie Saladine told the Sydney Morning Herald she couldn't believe her eyes.

"You know when you do a double take, when you don't think you're seeing what you're seeing?" she said.

"It was like that."

Ms Saladine said Callum did not seem stressed by the situation

"He was really excited he got hold of the toys," she said.

"The security staff looked a bit baffled."

The boy was not hurt during his ordeal.

- NZ Herald staff