TERROR struck for a three-year-old when her trousers got caught in the escalator at a new supermarket in Bicester.

Ashlee Wyllie’s uncle had to tear her trousers, prompting concerns others could be at risk at the Pioneer Square branch of Sainsbury’s.

The incident happened earlier this month when the Bicester tot reached the bottom of the car park escalator.

Sainsbury’s said it had checked the escalator several times and found no problems, saying it would cut out when “required to”.

Uncle Lee Brown was behind her and said he grabbed the screaming girl and jumped with her to safety.

Her father Greig, 34, was a few steps ahead with wife Laura, 29, and children Zarah, 10, Taylor, eight, Libby, six, and Kimberley, two.

He said: “What would have happened if she had fallen and it was her hair? That would have scalped her. She’s only three and she was absolutely terrified. She’s over it now but my wife and I are not.

“The travelator should have been switched off and not used.”

He said: “The back of her trousers were dragged in the escalator and it didn’t stop. It ripped the bottom half of her trousers clean off.

“It started to take her in. By pure luck my wife’s brother was behind her.”

He said the supermarket told him the escalator was checked the next day and no fault was found.

But the Danes Road, Bicester, resident said: “People’s kids do climb up on them, and if they fall and their hair goes into the bottom it could carry on munching.

“I want to make sure if anything happens people are going to be safe. I do not want it on my conscience I could have done something.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “The escalator has been checked several times with no issues with it cutting out when required to.

“We’ve got thousands of people using it safely every day and we just ask that people follow the instructions for using it, such as don’t lie down on it, don’t run, hold the hand rail, face forwards.”

The store opened at the £70m Pioneer Square town centre complex in July.