Australian girl, four, saves injured mother by calling emergency service Published duration 3 May 2017

image copyright New South Wales Police Force image caption The woman was rescued several hours after the accident

A four-year-old girl in Australia will be recognised for her "quick thinking" for contacting emergency services after her mother got trapped under a quad bike, New South Wales police say.

The woman lost control of the vehicle, which rolled several times before stopping in the family's property.

Her daughter was watching some 700m (2,300 ft) away. She ran to the scene, fell and suffered some facial wounds.

But she was able to go home and ask for help by dialling the emergency number.

The incident happened when the 35-year-old woman accidentally drove down a steep slope off a private road in Bundook, about 250km north of Sydney, police said in a statement.

The quad bike, fitted with a cage, rolled and only stopped some 100m (328ft) off the road, trapping her leg.

The girl was waiting at the family home and after seeing the incident, ran to help her mother, falling on the way.

Even so, she climbed down the embankment, tended to her mother, climbed back to the road and returned home, where she called the emergency services on the number 000.

You might also like

Several hours later, the woman was freed by rescuers and airlifted to hospital.

She suffered a fracture and several serious lacerations, and was in a serious but stable condition, the police statement said.

"Officers from Manning Great Lakes Local Area Command will formally acknowledge the child's quick thinking and life-saving actions," it added.

image copyright New South Wales Police Force image caption The accident happened after the woman drove down a steep slope

David, the girl's uncle, told The Daily Telegraph that the girl had learned at pre-school about calling the emergency services.

"Actually she rang 0000 but nobody answered so then she tried triple-0," he said.

"I reckon it saved Natalie's life... it was a massive task for a little girl."

image copyright New South Wales Police Force image caption The woman was airlifted to a hospital where she is in a stable condition