FIREMEN used 'the jaws of life’ to free a teenager whose leg became trapped down a metal grate.

The 14-year-old was out walking with friends at about 7.30pm on Tuesday when his foot slipped through the bars of the grate in the pavement outside a house in Wincheap, Canterbury.

His leg dropped through to the knee and a fire crew and paramedics were called to assist.

Fire crew manager Keith Dabson and firefighter Paul Donovan used a special hydraulic clamp, known as the jaws of life for its ability to free road accident victims, to force open the metal bars.

A fire service spokesman said: “The lad was obviously a bit distressed and had suffered a knee injury when his foot slipped through the bars.

“But it only took us a few minutes to free him and he was taken to hospital for examinition and treatment.”

The grate, opposite the Q motorist centre in Wincheap, has now been covered and taped off.