A PHOTOGRAPHER has praised quick-thinking firefighters who came to his rescue after he got trapped inside his bedsit.

On Thursday evening Paul King was sat in his room in Kendrick Road, Reading, when he needed to use the facilities.

However, the door to his bedroom became "deadlocked", meaning he was trapped inside.

After realising the window was too high above the ground to climb down, the 55-year-old had no choice but to phone for the emergency services.

A fire crew from Caversham Road Fire Station were on hand in "minutes" to free him.

Mr King told the Chronicle: "I was very grateful for how quickly they came to help me. It was very embarrassing.

"I had just gone back into my room and closed the door behind me. I needed to use the toilet so I tried to go back out but it wouldn't open. I thought I was trapped.

"I thought 'Christ, who can I call to help me get out of here?'

When firefighters arrived, Mr King feared they would have to break down the fire door in order to release him.

Luckily, one quick-thinking officer asked the trapped resident to simply slide the keys underneath the door, and they were able to unlock it from the outside.

Mr King added: "I had my keys on my person.

"The lock was completely deadlocked.

"I couldn't climb down from the window because it was too high and I didn't want to injure myself.

"The firemen were great, they got to me in a matter of minutes. These guys do such a great job, you can't fault them."

A spokesman for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews were dispatched to Mr King's property shortly after 9.45pm.

They added: "The call indicated there was a person trapped inside their property.

"We sent one pump from Caversham Road. The occupant was released."