A mountain rescue team was called-out to abseil down the shaft and save the pair who decided to finish a night on the town by climbing down the shaft using a pressure hose.

The stricken men called the emergency services from 50ft underground using their mobile phones.

They were rescued by Greater Manchester Fire Service who called in Oldham Mountain Rescue Team to help with the operation

A mountain rescue statement said: “Call-out Sunday morning 5.40am – two gentlemen who decided it would be fun (after a few beers?) to climb down a air compressor hose into the 40ft deep sewer system hole on Union St in Oldham.

“Fine until they were unable to climb back out.

“No real injuries, but the Fire Service asked for our rope access capabilities to get them out.

“After one of our guys went down, we got two paramedics to also abseil down, check the guys out, then haul them all back up again. All over by 7.20 and back home for breakfast at 8am.”