Fire chiefs are concerned that the new Fifty Shades of Grey film could lead to an increase in amorous couples getting stuck in compromising positions.
London Fire Brigade has launched the campaign Fifty Shades of Red which urges people to think carefully before following in the footsteps of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele.
Last year crews attended 472 incidents involving people being trapped or stuck, often in everyday items, with the brigade called to more than one embarrassing incident a day.
Third Officer, Dave Brown, said: “The Fifty Shades effect seems to spike handcuff incidents so we hope film goers will use common sense and avoid leaving themselves red faced.
“I’d like to remind everyone that 999 is an emergency number and should only be used as such. If there’s a genuine emergency, fire crews will of course attend and will be on the scene to help within minutes.”
In November last year firefighters came to the rescue of a man forced to undergo surgery to remove two metal rings that had been stuck on his penis for three days.
The man attended accident and emergency at Kings College Hospital in the early hours but when doctors found they couldn’t remove the steel rings they had to call in the brigade.
Two firefighters scrubbed up and removed the rings using pedal cutters –a hydraulic handheld piece of cutting equipment.
Other unusual callouts have been to a man whose penis was stuck in a toaster and another with his manhood trapped in a vacuum cleaner.
Each incident costs taxpayers at least £295, meaning the incidents over the past three years have cost £388,810.
Image courtesy of Focus Features, Michael De Luca Productions, Trigger Street Productions, Universal Pictures, with thanks
