AN ELDERLY man lay helpless for hours after he toppled to the ground with his arm stuck in his wheelchair.

A fire crew from the Thanet station at Broadstairs used a hydraulic spreader to make a gap between the chair wheel and arm rest where the man’s left arm was jammed.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "We managed to make some space to release his arm. He had been on the floor for hours. It must have been extremely distressing for him. We were alerted when a family member caled at his home."

The rescue team arrived at the Broadstairs town centre bungalow about 10pm on Monday. After the man was freed he was tended by an ambulance team.