Hotpoint Ultima WMA61 washing machine: child lock stuck on?

How can I unlock the child safety lock on the above? It appears with the child symbol and 'safe; in the viewing panel, but will not switch off and disables the maching from operating. Switching the machine off and on at the mains has no effect and pressing any combination of buttons is similarly useless...
John Davey, May 2005


done
To deactivate this feature hold the ‘Child Lock’ button down for 4
seconds. You will then hear a bleep and the child safe icon will go out.

Simon Finch, June 2005
link Click here to see other fixes for Hotpoint Ultima.