Rocio Cortes Nuñez, 26, was being transferred to the maternity ward after her third baby was born by Cesarian section at the Valme hospital in Seville on Sunday.

Hospital staff wheeled her into the lift but after the doors opened and closed several times without anything happening the porter opted to transfer to another lift.

But just as Cortes was being wheeled out of the lift, it started to ascend, trapping her as it rose.

Local newspapers reported that her head became trapped between the lift frame and ceiling as it started moving upwards while her body and legs were left hanging into the open shaft below.

Doctors frantically worked to keep her alive while firefighters tried to rescue her but she died before she could be freed.

The newborn baby had already been transferred to the neo-natal ward so was not in the elevator at the time. Cortes had two other daughters, aged five and four.

Last night her “devastated” family called for justice. Brother-in-law David Gaspar told El Mundo that someone should be punished over the incident.

“It’s incredible. We still can’t believe what’s happened. Something has to happen. This cannot go unpunished.”

Authorities have launched a investigation into the ‘freak accident’ but claim that the lift was serviced as recently as August 12th.

Marina Alvarez, the regional health minister of Andalusia called the accident ‘quick, unusual and tragic’.