Three-year-old has arm ripped off when he climbs into tumble drier

In a shocking incident, athree-year-old boy had one of his arms ripped off when he climbed into a tumble drier at a holiday park.

According to reports, he had become entangled in the drier after trying to climb into it as the family were using a launderette at the caravan site at Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

The boy was found by his mother who raised the alarm on Monday afternoon, and people at the park said they had been told his arm was severed at the shoulder.

According to sources, the lost limb was taken to King's College Hospital in London, packed in ice, but it was not clear whether doctors had been able to re-attach it.

According to one child trauma specialist who wished to remain anonymous, because of the boy's young age he would stand a good chance of saving the arm if it was possible to stitch together all the nerves, tendons and blood vessels.

Medics from Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust rushed to the scene by car and travelled with the child and his mother in the ambulance to the London hospital.

Police were also called to the park and an investigation was launched immediately. It was expected that the Health and Safety Executive might also be called in.

However, staff at the park declined to talk about the incident, saying only that the person who was present when it happened was now off-duty until the end of the week