Hartlepool toddler needs 999 help after toilet seat gets stuck on her head - just like her dad did 34 years ago

A toddler needed emergency assistance to remove a toilet seat from her head during her first time potty training – more than 30 years after her dad featured in the Hartlepool Mail for the same thing.
Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer.  Picture by FRANK REID.Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer.  Picture by FRANK REID.
Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer. Picture by FRANK REID.

Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey, three, repeated what her dad, Shaun Patrick Cafferkey, 36, managed to do 34 years ago.

After discovering what Clodagh-Mae had done, her mum, Kayla Cooper, 27, tried everything to remove the toilet seat, including applying oil and butter, before dialling 999 to ask for the fire brigade to come to their Hartlepool home.

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After trying to remove the seat themselves, the fire brigade were forced to use cutters to get it off Clodagh-Mae and shared a giggle with the toddler by giving her a teddy bear and letting her ride in their fire truck.

Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer.  Picture by FRANK REID.Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer.  Picture by FRANK REID.
Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer. Picture by FRANK REID.

Kayla said afterwards: “She put the seat over her head and I was joking on at first saying ‘don’t do that, your dad did the same thing and it got stuck’ then I realised it was actually stuck.

"Thankfully she wasn’t in any danger and was laughing about the whole thing. We rang the fire brigade and they struggled to get it off so they had to get the cutters out.

“This was her first time potty training and I just couldn’t believe it, especially with the same thing happening to her dad all those years ago. Luckily she was fine and took the whole thing in her stride.”

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After seeing what Clodagh-Mae had done, Kayla quickly told partner Shaun Patrick what had happened – only for him not to believe her at first.

Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer.  Picture by FRANK REID.Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer.  Picture by FRANK REID.
Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer. Picture by FRANK REID.

Kayla added: “I told Shaun Patrick and he thought I was joking or winding him up. I had to send him a picture for proof and he couldn’t stop laughing.

“It’s just such a coincidence her dad did the same thing when he was potty training. It must run in the family.”

Clodagh-Mae now looks back and laughs at the incident and is excited to resume her potty training in the future.

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Latest Home Office data shows that the number of calls to Cleveland Fire Brigade to remove objects from people, which are combined with calls to help stranded animals, rose by 19 to 142 in the year ending this March.

Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer over her head.Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer over her head.
Clodagh-Mae Cafferkey with her toilet trainer over her head.

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