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Bolton's Asda worker Stephen has been praised for his swift actions

An Asda worker has been praised for his swift actions in helping a trapped boy.

Home shopping driver Stephen, from the retailer's Bolton store, had just pulled up to an address in the town to deliver to a customer when neighbours ran to him and asked for help.

Inside a neighbouring house a seven-year-old boy had become trapped in a bathroom after the door lock broke and the youngster was becoming 'hysterical'.

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Stephen jumped into action and quickly climbed up a pole to talk to the boy through the window and keep him calm until firefighters arrived.

Stephen, 66, said: "The window had a security lock on it and would only open a few inches, so I couldn't climb through. I spoke to the fire service and they said they'd get there as quick as they could.

"While we waited I held the boy's hand through the window as he was quite distressed. I just kept talking to him and just calmed him and told him everything would be okay. By that point a small crowd had gathered. I asked the customer I'd delivered to if they could get an ice lolly for the boy which cheered him up."

Firefighters quickly arrived and broke open the bathroom door.

Stephen added: "The boy was fine, thankfully, and he came running up to me to give me a big hug. The parents were very grateful too and both shook my hands. Helping is just in my nature, I couldn't do nothing."

A neighbour who saw the drama unfold wrote to store manager Abbas to thank Stephen, and said: "The trust he built up with the boy in a very short time was amazing. What an amazing man to react the way he did to help strangers."

Asda shared details of the incident in a post on social media which attracted hundreds of responses within minutes, many of them praising Stephen for his efforts.

"Lovely story and Stephen is obviously a good man," said one. "We need more Stephens."

"Well done that man. Thank you for keeping a little boy calm and happy, bet the ice lolly kept his mind off the drama," said anoither.

A third added: "He’s delivered to my house a few times! Such a lovely man!"