STUCK

An overweight inmate’s attempts to escape jail in in Ceres in the central Brazilian state of Goias ended in humiliation – when he got stuck in a hole he helped smash in his cell wall.

Firefighters had to free 16-stone Rafael Valadao when his belly stopped him making his break for freedom.

Prison guards compounded his embarrassment by standing round laughing as the operation to release him swung into action.

Authorities were last night hunting for a thinner cell-mate who managed to escape first.

Two other inmates waiting behind Rafael also saw their hopes of freedom thwarted by the unexpected hitch in their escape bid.

Firefighters stepped in around 2am on Tuesday after the two inmates waiting their turn behind Rafael failed in various attempts to push him through the hole they had made with a metal bar.

He was later taken to hospital under police protection with a suspected broken rib.

A police spokesman said: “He was screaming with pain when help arrived.

“He seemed to have underestimated the size of his stomach.”