A curious two-year-old who chose to play with a toilet seat instead of his toys found himself in a spot of bother - after it got stuck around his neck.

Little Noah Darrell-Smith had his parents chuckling after he wedged his head through the training seat and struggled to get it off.

But their smiles soon disappeared after even half-a-tub of butter failed to release their son from the plastic seat.

They were eventually forced to take the fed-up toddler to hospital, where medics called in firefighters to cut Noah free.

Dad Phil Darrell-Smith told of his and wife Carla's failed efforts to remove the seat at their home in Bridge, near Canterbury, on Monday evening.

"Half a tub of butter did not help us shift it, and Noah was not happy with my attempts to free him,” he recalled.

Phil called the local minor injuries unit, where medics advised him to take Noah to the A&E department in Ashford.

"So with buttery hair and a toilet seat accessory, I strapped him in and took him to the William Harvey,” he said.

"Everyone that saw us couldn't help but smile or chuckle - we must have been a funny sight.

"The lady that greeted us in paediatrics was very kind and set about figuring out what the best approach might be to separating my son and the toilet seat.”

It was eventually decided at 8.40pm - almost two hours after Noah got stuck - to call in the fire service, which had a team close to the hospital.

Mr Darrell-Smith says when the crew arrived they huddled to make a plan, before sitting Noah down and carefully cutting through from the back of the toilet seat with a small electric blade.

"They were very reassuring and cheerful, and Noah was very brave and sat still and quiet while they went to work,” he said.

"It took a few minutes, and all the time the firemen and lady did an amazing job as a team.

"Noah happily watched a bit of Paw Patrol while this was going on, and then to his surprise and interest, there was suddenly a great cracking noise from the toilet seat and he was finally free."

Crews safely removed the seat from Noah's neck at about 9.10pm, before offering him a tour of their fire engine.

"He was never going to turn down the chance to do that and get one up on his big brother," Phil said.

"The fire crew let him climb up into the truck. Noah was delighted.

"It was so kind of the fire crew to take the time to assist us and also check out the truck.

"We really appreciated it and thank them and the lovely staff at William Harvey paediatrics for all their help and good humour, and for setting Noah free.

"He says he won't play with toilet seats ever again."