Firefighters had to cut a man out of a titanium chastity belt intended for sex games last week.

Crews from Kingston fire station were called to the red-faced man's home in Ham at about 11pm on June 27 after he had spent all day trying to free himself from the device.

It took about 45 minutes for firefighters to release the man, believed to be in his 40s, from the structure. By this time he had slipped in and out of consciousness due to the pressure of the chastity belt on his genitals.

Crew manager Brennan Healey, from the fire station, said the man, of average build, had put the two-piece device on in the morning but then realised he did not have a key to open it.

His girlfriend was out of the house when he put it on but returned to find him trapped in the belt and realised she did not have the key either.

"He was very embarrassed about the situation. He was very apologetic and seemed to be wishing he wasn't there," said Mr Healey. "He seemed like a nice guy who found himself in a predicament he didn't want to be in.

"He had put a dressing gown over him but apart from that he only had the chastity belt on.

"He'd spent all day trying to get it off and was at his last tether."

Three machines were needed to cut through the titanium.

"The man had lots of swelling in his genital area," said Mr Healey. "It took a long time to release him because he was in a lot of pain, and we needed to give him oxygen.

"Firefighter Simon Mitchell did a great job and was especially hands on'. When he was released we called the London Ambulance Service who took him to hospital, but he seemed much better by then.

"His girlfriend initially seemed to find it funny but became more concerned as his condition got worse.

"I think the man wanted to use it as part of an S&M sex game with his girlfriend.

"I presumed he and his girlfriend used that sort of thing a lot - they didn't seem phased by it.

"From the inside of their house you wouldn't know they were into that sort of thing - they didn't have any shackles or anything! But then again, I didn't see their bedroom.

"He didn't want to be in that situation. That sort of thing is all right behind closed doors but when it's out in the open it's a different matter.

"He was very grateful and relieved by the time we left.

"It wasn't the usual type of job we get called to!"