A police officer was forced to call the fire service after getting trapped in faulty handcuffs during a demonstration.

Scott Renwick, a core training sergeant with Northamptonshire Police, was teaching new recruits how to use hinged handcuffs before he got into difficulty.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said they had to use pedal cutters to release the officer’s hands.

The force’s chief constable, Nick Adderley, joked that he would “rather have chewed my arm off than call the fire service” after the incident.

Mr Renwick tweeted after the incident, saying: “This could well make my career.”

In a separate tweet, the officer said: “Well that wasn’t a good start to the day.

“Thanks to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service for cutting me out of some broken cuffs.

“#NotFunny. I would have laughed too!!”