British Toddler's Arm Ripped Off by Washing Machine

CREWE, England – A toddler's arm was ripped off by a washing machine at his home in northwest England, the Crewe Chronicle reported Wednesday.

Lewis Wrench was found covered in blood with his left arm torn off just below the shoulder on Sept. 11 after somehow managing to open the running front-loading machine while his mother was in another room.

Mom-of-four Rachel was only alerted to the horrific accident by the three-year-old's hysterical screaming.

She said, "When I asked him about what had happened he said 'I opened the door and went round and round and round and I banged my head and then my arm fell off.'

"When I rushed in, the machine was still going. I switched it off and scooped him up and ran screaming to my neighbors. There was blood everywhere. It was horrible seeing him like that."

Doctors at a hospital in Crewe, Cheshire, were unable to save the toddler's arm and he is expected to eventually be given a prosthetic replacement.

Rachel Wrench, 24, said, "Overall Lewis has been fine and he's been very brave -- but he doesn't like people going near washing machines and tries to pull them away from them."

Authorities are investigating the rented washing machine, which has been at the house since 2009, for any fault.

"I can't believe he was able to open the door so easily. It was terrifying. I'm devastated," Rachel Wrench said.