'It was just terrifying': Perth dad speaks of moment son was buried above his head

The father of an eight-year-old boy who fell down a makeshift trench in the family's front yard has spoken of the terrifying moment his boy was completely buried in sand.

Dad Matt Stiles, two firefighters and a paramedic were frantically trying to rescue Riley when another pile of sand fell on top of him.

"As I was digging, a whole heap of sand actually landed on top of us," he said.

"Riley got buried above his head and he was screaming.

"It was just terrifying."

There were cheers as the boy was pulled free and into his mother's arms after four hours trapped underground.

He'd become stuck, first buried up to his waist and then his neck, after digging a trench at the front of his Jandabup home.

"When I went down there, a huge avalanche came down," Riley said.

"I was a bit scared and anxious."

It was a very delicate rescue mission to get Riley out, with a team of people squeezed into position to look after Riley until they could get him out.

The accident happened at approximately 4pm on Sunday afternoon and Riley was not pulled free from the two-metre-deep trench until 8pm that night.

After a quick helicopter ride to hospital, Riley has been given the all-clear, sent home smiling with his very relieved parents.