HE’S usually spotted skulking around Gotham City – but Batman made an appearance in Sussex this week when he rescued a one-year-old girl trapped in a car.

Batman, in the guise of five-year-old Zavi Ahmed, came to the rescue after police were unable to free little Iris Adamski from a Volkswagen Beetle at Tesco in Uckfield.

Iris became trapped when the doors mysteriously locked with the keys inside while her grandmother Caroline Penny packed away the shopping.

Police officers smashed the rear window in a failed bid to hook the keys or open the doors using wire. It was only when Batman wandered over to see what the commotion was that Iris was able to make her escape.

Mrs Penny was looking after her granddaughter while her parents Eloise and Luke Adamski, both 35 and from Southwick, were at work.

She said: ‘I had just put the pram away when the door locked. I don’t know what happened but we couldn’t get her out.

“We called the police and they tried everything and eventually smashed the back window. They couldn’t reach the door because it’s quite small. We needed to get the keys from the dashboard.

“Then these two little boys turned up - one was dressed as Batman and the other as Superman. They had the whole outfits and were so sweet.

“A policeman put his jumper down on the window to protect from the glass and Batman crawled in to fetch the keys. I was so proud. He was a true superhero and I’m so grateful to Zavi.”

Iris' mother Eloise said her bemused daughter found the majority of the incident "rather funny".

She said: "People were waving toys at her through the window and giving her lots of attention, so she thought it was rather funny I think. She got a bit scared when they smashed the back window but she was absolutely fine in the end. Zavi was a real superhero."

Zavi’s mother said her hero son begged for permission to dress up as his favourite superhero that morning.

She said: “We couldn’t believe it. Of all the days for him to dress up and that happens. This morning he said: 'I’ve got to dress up as Batman again because I am a superhero'.”

Zavi concluded said: “I always feel like a superhero - but that day was special.”

Sussex Police said officers were called on Wednesday at 12.15pm and the child was freed 45 minutes later.