A toddler's hand was crushed by an electric corn grinder after he played with the machine while his parents were out.

The two-year-old boy was left at home with his grandmother Praew, 57, and was watching her prepare snacks in their kitchen in Chonburi, Thailand.

However, when she went to a nearby food stand to fetch more ingredients the lad started touching the industrial processor.

The curious boy reached inside an opening where the two metal rollers were spinning - which crushed his fingers as soon as he touched them.

The grandmother rushed back into the kitchen when the boy screamed in pain. She saw his left hand covered in blood inside the machine and yanked out the plug.

Praew said: "For a few seconds, I couldn't believe what was happening. I jerked the plug out and called for help."

Praew was unable to pull her grandson's fingers from the machine even when it was turned off.

When the rescuers arrived, they decided to take him to the hospital along with the machine because he needed urgent medical attention to save his fingers.

The doctors were able to remove his hand from the machine, but some of his fingers were left with permanent damage because of the accident.

The boy's wounds were stitched but his fingers will have to be monitored as his bones were so severely crushed.

Praew added: ''I blame myself for not watching him. I should have warned him not to touch it.''