Toddler gets fingers caught in plughole

A Papamoa toddler has learnt a hard lesson about where not to stick his fingers.

The 20-month-old boy got his finger stuck in the plughole of a bath today, sparking the callout of not one, but two fire crews.

Crews from Tauranga and Mount Maunganui rushed to the toddler's assistance to find he had got four fingers stuck in the plughole.

Mount Maunganui Station Officer Roger Pickett said firefighters first levered the plug out so they could take the boy into the kitchen where there was more light.

They managed to remove two fingers but were unable to remove the two biggest fingers without destroying the plug.

With the boy's fingers swelling, the wellbeing of the plug became of little importance and firefighters cut it apart with tin snips, Mr Pickett said.

He said the boy was upset but not seriously hurt.