Neighbours hold a stool under girl, three, left dangling with her head trapped in 12th-floor window bars in China

The toddler had been left alone sleeping in the family's flat in Zhangping, Fujian, while her mother went out to buy groceries and her father was at work. On Saturday she climbed out of the window and squeezed between the safety bars until her head became wedged. A woman in the block spotted her. Men leaned out from the flat below while a policeman steadied the chair.

Firefighters cut through the metal bars in a shower of sparks to free her head.

The girl was taken to hospital as a precaution and was found to be unharmed.

Her family expressed gratitude to everyone who helped, and footage of the rescue has circulated widely online.