A GARBO stopped his truck's compactors seconds before it crushed a curious nine-year-old boy who had hidden inside a bin on collection day.

Dylan Jones said he was "horrified" when he spotted Connor's little hands clinging to the rim of a recycling bin as he picked it up on his Monday morning run.

The quick-thinking Mr Jones hit the truck's emergency stop just seconds before its hydraulic pump, which crushes recycling, latched on to Connor.

Connor jumped into a 240L bin outside his babysitter's Yarrawonga home as he saw the recycling truck approach.

This time Connor's curiosity only caused him minor cuts and bruises, but Mr Jones said he feared the worst.

"I just saw the two hands out the top of the hopper where the rubbish goes in. It was quite horrifying seeing that. I didn't know what it was," Mr Jones said.

A sheepish Connor later admitted to reporters he was curious to see how the truck crushed recycling.

"I just wanted to know what it looked like inside the dump truck," Connor said.

Greg Cooper said his 14-year-old daughter was watching Connor play outside, turned her back for a second and he was gone.

"He wanted to have a look inside the truck. He certainly knows what it looks like inside one now."

media_camera Connor with his parents, Rob and Rosheli. Picture: Ten News

Originally published as A close call for bin boy