A BOY of four is recovering in hospital after getting his hand trapped in an escalator at a North-East shopping centre.

Firefighters dismantled part of the escalator at the Galleries, Washington, to free the youngster.

The boy, from Stanley, County Durham, was at the top of the escalator in the Sports Direct shop on Friday night when his left hand got dragged into the mechanism.

Someone who saw what happened acted quickly to push the isolation button and stop the escalator.

Firefighters used spreading equipment to lift the metal of the mechanism and free his hand.

The boy was given oxygen and painkillers by paramedics before being taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital with "substantial" injuries to his left hand.

Twenty-two firefighters from five stations helped rescue the boy after being called to the complex shortly after 6pm.

Watch managed Kevin Bracchi, based at Washington Station, said: "It took us about 45 minutes to free him and he screamed throughout.

"He was in pain and was given pain relief by paramedics. But I think he was frightened having so many people around him.

"His hand was cut and he went off to have it X-rayed."

The boy was in the shop with his father when the incident happened.

An investigation into the incident is underway.