Man, 33, impaled on metal spikes

A man became impaled on metal spikes while taking a short cut over a wall.

Police said the 33-year-old fell onto the spikes on top of the wall in Merton Square in Blyth, Northumberland, in the early hours of Saturday.

The spikes "completely penetrated" his right thigh near his groin. He was taken to hospital with them still in his leg after fire crews cut him free.

In a separate incident, a 26-year-old man lost two fingers attempting to scale a fence in Newcastle city centre.

Police were called to an area near Manors Metro station, New Bridge Street, at 0344 GMT on Saturday and found the man stuck behind a metal fence close to the central motorway.

A police spokesman said: "It appears that the man had tried to scale a fence when intoxicated and had slipped causing two of his fingers to be severed."

He was freed by firefighters and taken to Newcastle General Hospital for treatment.

The man hurt in the first incident in Blyth is expected to undergo surgery later on Saturday for non-life threatening injuries.