A STOREMAN had to be rescued by firefighters after becoming locked inside a giant freezer at a Southampton food firm.

Robert Beard spent a terrifying 15 minutes shivering inside the walk-in chiller at Eurofoods on Swaythling's Orion business park yesterday lunchtime.

Luckily his cries for help were heard by colleagues who realised what had happened and alerted emergency services.

Mr Beard, who had been stacking boxes when he was accidentally locked in by a workmate, endured temperatures of minus 20 degrees.

To his horror, he realised the padlock had been snapped shut from outside - and the key was in his pocket.

The 37-year-old was warmed up by company first-aiders and was back at work by the afternoon.

Today Eurofoods manager Neil Shering paid tribute to firefighters, paramedics and police who attended the drama at noon yesterday.

"I would like to thank them for their prompt action," said Mr Shering.

"Usually, I would be on site with a spare key but unfortunately I was out at a funeral when it happened."

He added: "We have a security problem here so we have to ensure the freezer is kept locked."

Mr Shering stressed revised freezer security arrangements had been introduced immediately at the chilled food firm, which manufactures sandwiches and rolls.

A crew from St Mary's fire station used bolt croppers to snap open the padlock on the huge freezer container.

Leading Firefighter Sarah Warnes said the door had been freed in a matter of seconds.

A Hampshire police spokesman said the Health and Safety Executive had been informed of the incident at the factory off Wide Lane.

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