AN ACCIDENT-prone schoolboy had to be rescued by firefighters after getting stuck in a tree.

Seven-year-old Ben Beet was climbing a tree in Griffin Close, Bury, last Wednesday afternoon when he slipped. His knee became trapped in a Y-shaped part of the trunk and he could not get out.

His brother, Joshua, aged 10, ran to their home in nearby Falcon Close for help.

Their mother, Kate Woodall, and neighbours could not pull Ben out, so they phoned the fire service for help at 1.45pm.

Firefighters used specialist equipment usually used in car crashes to rescue the St Paul’s Primary School pupil.

Crew manager John Ogden, from Bury fire station, said: “It was difficult when we tried to release him at first because the sap from the tree caused problems as we got into it.

“In the end, we cut the bark off around him. It was a bit of a head-scratcher at first but all the lads worked together, threw some good ideas in and it worked.”

Ben escaped with only a few scratches on the back of his knee and was soon playing outside again.

It was the latest incident for the accident-prone youngster, who had cut his lip the day before.

Miss Woodall, aged 30, said: “He’s lucky. I thought he was going to end up in hospital.

“I wouldn’t have known what to do without the firefighters. He’s very accident-prone, but nothing as bad as this has ever happened.”

And Miss Woodall hopes other children will learn a lesson and be more careful when playing outside. She said: “I’ve warned them not to climb the trees!”