A MAN was stuck in a Wetherspoons toilet for almost an hour while his disabled wife was forced to wait for firefighters to set him free.

John Lloyd, 65, of Wickford Road, Westcliff got locked inside the disabled toilet at The Last Post in Weston Road, Southend, while he was out shopping with his wife, who is wheelchair bound due to suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

He recalled: “I drove into the town centre at 9.30 in the morning, my wife and I were shopping quickly before our parking ran out at 11am.

“My wife needed the toilet and we went into the Last Post to use the disabled toilets.

“I went in after her, the door had been propped open with a chair, which I thought was there so the staff could do some cleaning inside.

“I shut the door and about five minutes later, I could not get out.”

Mr Lloyd raised an alarm from inside the toilet and staff came to try and free him.

They attempted to force the door open, while other staff members looked after his wife.

He said: “I got more and more annoyed while I was stuck inside, so I decided just to call the fire brigade myself.

“I told them it was not an emergency, but I had been stuck inside the toilet for some time and I could not get out.”

After ten minutes of waiting inside, and attempting to free himself from the toilet, a crew of firefighters entered the pub to release Mr Lloyd.

A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Firefighters were called at 10.45am on Sunday. Firefighters were able to release the man by 11.05am.”

Yesterday, a spokesman for JD Wetherspoon, said: “We sincerely apologise to Mr Lloyd and his wife for the unfortunate incident that occurred at The Last Post.

“Staff were aware of the faulty lock and a notice had been posted on the door, earlier in the day. Although this may have subsequently and inexplicably been removed.

“Staff extended their apologies to the couple, at the time, and offered a complimentary meal, as a good will gesture.

“The notice has been reinstated, as work to replace the lock will soon be carried out.

Thankfully, Mr Lloyd did not receive a parking ticket after the incident, and is feeling calmer about it now.”

He added: “It is funny looking back on it now, but at that moment, it was far from funny.”