A man had to be rescued from his own balcony by firefighters after locking himself out of his flat.

The 26-year-old was stranded outside on the second floor of St George's Court off Barton Lane in Eccles for up to an hour in freezing conditions last night before help arrived.

A fire crew from Eccles attended at about 8pm and rescued him by hoisting up a ladder.

Stan Bradburn, Eccles crew manager, said: "He had locked himself out with the keys inside.

"He shouted to one of the people in an adjacent flat who phoned the police.

"It was a cold night but he was wearing a fleece and jogging bottoms.

"The only way to get him down was to get one of our big ladders up and guide him down."

The fire engine was at the scene for half an hour.