A seven-year-old boy spent four hours with a nut stuck on his finger.

The youngster was only freed after firefighters were called to accident and emergency at Worthing Hospital to free the plumbing tool from his hand.

The drama took place yesterday. A Worthing firefighter said: “We were contacted by the hospital because they couldn’t get the nut off.

“The lad had been playing in his garden when he picked up the nut and shoved it on. But he couldn’t get it off again.

“It had been stuck for four hours by the time we arrived. I think he thought it was going to be there forever.

“He was a really good boy and didn’t cry.

“I think he might have been resigned to his fate.”