THE fire service today pleaded with pranksters not to mess about in lifts after having to free seven youths at a tower block in Southampton last night.

Two fire appliances from the St Mary's Station were involved in a 45 minute drama at Castle House in Castle Way at about 10.30pm.

The youths became trapped in the lift between the third and fourth floors after jumping up and down in the lift causing the brake system to jam.

Daily Echo: Click below to see a video of today's headlines in sixty seconds

Firemen got into the motor room and eventually managed to get the lift up to the fourth floor where the youths were released unharmed.

Today a fire spokesman condemned their antics: "This happened on when a real emergency could have started elsewhere and they could have put other people's lives in danger."