HOW many rescuers does it take to remove a washer from a five-year-old girl’s finger?

That was the question a Wallingford mother was still asking seven hours after her daughter said: “Mummy I have a washer stuck on my finger.”

Mother-of-two Anna Rowe and daughter Saskia spent their Sunday in the company of doctors, nurses and firefighters across the county in a desperate struggle to prise the washer off.

Mrs Rowe said: “Just before 1pm she said to me that she had a washer stuck on her finger. It must have just been lying around the house.

“I tried everything at first – I tried to remove it with grease, I used ice to reduce the swelling. I even put an elastic band underneath it to try to free it.”

Realising her attempts weren’t working the bookkeeper took her daughter to Abingdon Community Hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit with her three-year-old son Caeden in tow. Doctors and nurses at the unit in Marcham Road didn’t fare any better and referred the Cranford House schoolgirl to the John Radcliffe Hospital.

She said: “We were waiting at the John Radcliffe for ages and her finger was getting quite swollen.

“We were eventually seen by two doctors and there were about six nurses around us. They couldn’t get it off either so they called the fire brigade.”

A crew from Slade Park fire station became the next set of emergency services to tackle the problem.

Mrs Rowe said that despite using pliers and a hacksaw they too were unable to budge the washer.

“The firemen were really good with her and she was absolutely fine throughout.

“This particular fire engine didn’t have the specific mini bolt-cutters so they called another crew from Kidlington.”

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed a crew was called from Kidlington just before 6.30pm and that firemen removed the washer using ring-cutting equipment.

Area manager for Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, David Heycock, said: “This type of incident very much reflects the fact that a modern fire and rescue service is about much more than just putting out fires.

“I’m sure it was a great relief for the family when it was all over, and they knew she was safe and well.”

The five-year-old took the saga in her stride and definitely had something interesting for show and tell “At about 8pm the washer was finally off,” said Mrs Rowe. “We went home, she had her tea and went straight to bed.

“She went to school the next day and told her classmates all about it.”