3-year-old boy gets stuck inside fair's bear-grab game

By Nick Owens, sundaymirror.co.uk 8/06/2008

Christopher inside the machine

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As anyone who has tried to win a teddy bear on a fairground "grabber"

knows, it's an almost impossible task.

But little Christopher Air wasn't about to admit defeat.

So when his mum turned round to change a £20 note for another go, the three-year-old seized his chance and squeezed himself in through the "cat-flap" hole where the bears tumble out.

Christopher was trapped inside the arcade machine for half an hour as his frantic mum tried to get him out.

Mum Elaine, 33, dad Peter, 33, and brother Stewart, 15, from Grangetown, Sunderland, were holidaying in Skegness.

Elaine said: "Christopher spotted this great big teddy bear in the crane machine. I put a pound in and he had a few goes trying to hook it but didn't win.

"He was so upset I decided to get a £20 note changed so he could have another go."

Elaine added: "My back was only turned for a minute and I heard Stewart shrieking.

When I looked around Christopher was inside.

"I couldn't believe he had got through such a small space."

Dad Peter, a farm worker, added: "He has never done anything like this before.

"When you mention it to him now he smiles and a guilty look comes across his face.

"We'll be keeping a closer eye on him next time we go into an arcade."

The lad's ordeal ended happily as the arcade boss who freed him handed over the teddy, which he calls Winnie.

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