A six-year-old boy from the UK whose foot was stuck between an escalator step and a platform for three hours at a Durban shopping mall recently has returned home after making a strong recovery. Euan Hird’s foot was mangled in the incident and doctors were initially concerned that he might be in danger of losing one or more of his toes.However‚ his mother‚ Nishala Hird‚ says he has recovered remarkably quickly after two successful operations were undertaken on his foot by surgeons at Netcare Umhlanga Hospital.“Euan is looking forward to going home‚ but is in good spirits and is his usual chatty self‚” said Mrs Hird before flying home to the UK with her son at the weekend. “Despite the accident he has enjoyed his stay in Durban‚ saying he would like to return soon.“The incident was really traumatic for the whole family and particularly for Euan‚” added Mrs Hird‚ who grew up in KwaZulu-Natal.“We are only now feeling like we are able to breathe again! It is miraculous that there was no major tendon or nerve damage or other serious injury to his foot after it was trapped in the escalator like that.” Hospital staff and management presented Euan‚ who lives with his parents near the city of Manchester in England and who dreams of one day becoming a doctor‚ with an award for his bravery.Mrs Hird says that her son is enormously proud of his award and often speaks of it. The family‚ who were visiting Durban to celebrate the 60th birthday of Euan’s grandmother‚ were leaving a shopping centre when Euan’s foot became trapped by the escalator.Netcare 911 paramedics worked for hours to keep Euan stable and calm while rescuers‚ including fire brigade personnel‚ battled to free him. He was finally extricated when shop fitters used a blowtorch to split an escalator step in half and rushed to hospital with a crushed right foot and soft tissue and bone damage...