FIREFIGHTERS were today called into action to lift an obese man out of a home in Ipswich so he could be taken to hospital.

EMERGENCY services were called into action to lift an obese man out of a first-floor window in Ipswich so he could be taken to hospital.

Paramedics were despatched yesterday to a property above the Golden Key pub in Woodbridge Road, where the 58-year-old victim was suffering a medical emergency.

But they soon enlisted the help of the fire service when it became apparent they needed extra hands to get the patient to the ambulance.

Paramedics and firefighters spent around hour treating the patient and securing him to a stretcher before he was lifted out of a window above the pub.

He was brought down a ladder and taken to an ambulance, which took him to Ipswich Hospital.

Police were called to monitor traffic while the operation was carried out.

Eye-witness Francis Whittaker, 22, from Woodbridge, said: “From what I could see, they had taken the whole window out. Paramedics and firefighters were inside with stretchers.

“It appeared they were having trouble accessing the patient and couldn't get him downstairs. There was a big emergency service presence.”

The man's condition is not known, but a spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said it was an emergency situation.

He added: “It was a little bit awkward getting him out of the property so we asked the fire service to help.”

A spokeswoman for the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said two crews were sent to assist a “bariatric” patient.