A fiance’s engagement ring became stuck on his finger  and had to be removed by firefighters trained to search for earthquake victims.

James Bill, aged 42, thought it would just be a quick job to cut off the £25 stainless steel band given to him by 28-year-old girlfriend Sarah Maiden seven months ago.

Mr Bill strolled round to nearby fire Fallings Park fire station, in Wolverhampton, yesterday to seek help.

But the seemingly simple task turned into a saga lasting three-and-a-half hours until a specialist team of firefighters was drafted in from 30 miles away.

Jobless Mr Bill, of Eversley Grove, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, said: “I cannot thank the fire service enough. They went to incredible lengths to get me out of trouble.”

The story began on Tuesday when his ring finger swelled and began to throb

“It was much worse the next morning and I went to the fire station for help. I told them it would be a ten-minute job,” he said..

Two hours and five broken saw blades on their specialist ring cutter later, they were no nearer removing the ring despite using of ice packs, cold water and even a packet of frozen peas to try to reduce the swelling.

Firefighters then called in the technical team from Bickenhill, near Birmingham International Airport, where staff are trained to deal with major emergencies. A crew rushed to

Fallings Park on blue lights armed with a titanium blade that sawed through the ring in less than five minutes.

The normal cutting gear kept at Fallings Park would have removed silver or gold jewellery without any difficulty, but could not slice through stainless steel.