An Aldi supermarket was forced to call the fire service after a customer was locked in the store's toilet.

Management at the shop in Station Drive, Ludlow following reports of a faulty lock.

The incident took place at around 3.35pm on Monday at the budget retailer.

A spokesperson said a fire crew used "small gear" to release the customer from the cubicle who was freed after 20 minutes of being stuck.

Crews descended on Aldi in Ludlow

A spokesperson from Shropshire Fire and Rescue service said: "One fire appliance was mobilised from Ludlow. Attending crews used the following equipment: Small Gear.

"One person released from toilet due faulty lock. Crews used small gear to release customer."

It is not the first time that fire crews have had to rescue someone from an Aldi toilet this year in Shropshire.

Fire crews received the call at around 6pm on January 3 with reports that someone was stuck in the loo at the Aldi store on Battlefield Road, Shrewsbury.

Aldi store on Battlefield Road, Shrewsbury

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service's incident log concludes that "one adult was released from toilets by Fire Service Personnel".

The stop message, meaning their involvement in the incident was declared over, was received at 6.25pm, reports Shropshire Star.

The Aldi store on Battlefield Road was opened in February 2023, replacing a smaller unit on Arlington Way.

Last year, fire crews were called to St Marys Lane, Much Wenlock. Upon arrival, firefighters worked to release a person from a public toilet after they got locked inside.

One fire appliance was mobilised from Much Wenlock and the person was released.

It comes as the London Fire Brigade (LFB) urged members of the public to "use common sense" before dialling 999 as it received 659 calls from people locked in loos between 2016 and 2019.

Deputy Commissioner from the LFB Tom George said: "No matter how strange a call may seem, we will always attend if there is a genuine emergency but you should always think carefully about how to use our resources."