When I turned around, he was staring at me through the glass in the vending machine: mum

IT took less than a minute for adventurous young Bodhi to sneak up the narrow hole in a toy vending machine and enter into his happy playground.

Bodhi was rescued from a toy vending machine at The Australian Hotel and Brewery on Anzac Day.

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IT took less than a minute for adventurous young Bodhi to sneak up the narrow hole in a toy vending machine and enter into his happy playground.

The Blacktown child had been playing close to three vending machines at The Australian Hotel and Brewery, Rouse Hill, on Anzac Day when his mum Kelly turned her attention for a few seconds to watch a friend’s child.

That was all the time Bodhi needed to somehow snake his way up the little gap and into the machine where he not only began playing with the toys, but also began throwing them out to the other children outside. “I don’t know how my son got inside the vending machine,” his mum Kelly told the Rouse Hill Times.

Captain David Richards of Riverstone Fire & Rescue crew with Bodhi after the rescue.

His mother said this was the first time something like this had happened to the active Bodhi, who turns three in June.

“When I turned back to look for Bodhi and could not find him, I thought he had gone to the playground slider,” Kelly said.

“I could not find him there but when I turned around, he was staring at me through the glass in the vending machine.

“Panic set in and I thought of ways of getting him out.

“There were no parents there and about 30 kids so I stayed there and asked one of the kids to find someone to help.

Bodhi is inseparable wit his new teddy bear. Picture: Damian Shaw

“She called one of the staff who had a giggle when he saw Bodhi inside and didn’t realise I was the parent.

“But the staff and one of the managers on duty were amazing and calmed me down as they looked at a few options to get him out.

“When they found out it wasn’t glass but perspex, they called the firefighters.”

Kelly said all this time Bodhi did not look upset but was happily occupied playing with all the toys.

“He also started putting toys through the hole for the other kids to get them,” she said.

“Bodhi was sweating a bit when the firefighters (from Riverstone Fire & Rescue) arrived.

“They managed to open the door and took him out in a very short time but to me it took a lifetime.

“There was a big cheer as Bodhi was brought out and he was very happy and loved the firemen.

“They took him outside to cool down and offered him a drink of cold water.

Bodhi received a teddy bear from the firefighters. Picture: Damian Shaw

“The firemen also gave him a teddy bear which he treasures while the Brewery staff told us to take as many toys as we want but we took just one.”

Captain David Richards of 083 Riverstone Fire and Rescue said they spoke to the child and reassured him while carefully opening the door as to not cause the machine to break and injure the child.

Captain Richards said they received a call from his frantic mother around 2pm saying her son was stuck in the machine.

“When we arrived, we found the boy had crawled through the hole in the machine but was enjoying himself, playing with the toys,” said Captain Richards, whose crew handed over a teddy bear and let him play inside the fire truck.

“He was not distressed.

“We then used our rapid intervention kit which has door-busting tools to break open the door to the vending machine to take him out.

“The security and the hotel staff were fantastic and very helpful.

“This is the first time we have rescued someone from a vending machine though we had done rescues on someone’s hand stuck inside.”