Partying teenager freed from highchair by Hove firefighters (From The Argus)
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Partying teenager freed from highchair by Hove firefighters
5:30pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
East Sussex Fire and Rescue
A partying teenager had to be cut free from a toddler’s highchair by firefighters.
Crews were called to a property in Goldstone Villas, Hove, to release an unnamed 19-year-old female who had been stuck for “some time”.
999 bosses said the youngster had developed pins and needles in her legs as she struggled to wriggle out of the seat normally used by children a fraction of her age.
It was only with the help of specialist equipment and some sympathetic firefighters that the late-night drama was ended.
Mark Rist, head of operations at East Sussex Fire and Rescue, said: “She was quite clearly stuck in and was not going to get without the help of fire crews.
“She was reported to be having a party and it was all quite chirpy. It probably came about out of youthful exuberance.
“She was stuck for some time and they did not have the tools to deal with it.
“We’re certainly not classifying it as a hoax call.”
Crews were called to the property at about 11.45pm on Sunday (March 17) and the rescue took about 15 minutes.
'Should have known better'
After being released emergency service personnel said the girl needed help standing up as the circulation to her legs had been limited.
A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue said: “You would have thought she would know better at that age.”
'Minimal cost'
A report to East Sussex Fire Authority said standard callouts cost £250 an hour.
But Mr Rist said there was a “minimal cost” related to this incident.
He said: “There is a full-time cost of being on duty anyway.
“Crews were not diverted away from any other call and at that time on a Sunday a night they would not be doing any training.
“The only real cost would have been from getting the appliance to the property.”
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