Man, Playing Hide-and-Seek With Kids Gets Stuck In Washing Machine

[matcom]

<snip>

SYDNEY, Australia --An Australian man had to be rescued after becoming wedged in a washing machine while playing with his children, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Robin Toom, 38, had to be pulled from the 18-pound capacity machine by a local fire officer after he became trapped while playing hide-and-seek with his children, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph reported.

"I just hopped in there and couldn't even get the lid down and the kids came in and said, 'Ha, ha! We found you,'" Toom told the newspaper.

Toom, who lives in the northern Queensland city of Townsville, waited for an hour with his knees pressed to his chest before being rescued by local fire squad member Dave Dillon, the newspaper said.

Rather than dismantling the washer, Dillon reached into the machine and pulled out Toom's wedged foot.

Toom said he was planning to change the rules of hide-and-seek for his children.

"I hope they don't go hiding in any washing machines now," Toom said.

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/01/09/australian_gets_stuck_in_washing_machine?mode=PF