A drunk man who stuck two live fish up his anus was hospitalised after one of them began to swim up his intestines, The Sun UK reports.

Doctors were reportedly forced to operate to save the patient’s life after he arrived at the medical facility in Guangzhou, southern China, complaining of stomach pains.

But medics were stunned to discover the truth behind what was causing the 45-year-old’s agony.

According to Chinese news site Huanqiu, the patient confessed he had decided to put two pond loaches into his anus after a heavy drinking session the day before, on March 10.

And when doctors at The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University examined him, they found the two fish has swum up his intestines.

Scans revealed one of the creatures – measuring 4in and 6in respectively – had broken through the wall of his bowel.

Doctors deemed the man, who was also suffering from a high fever and low blood pressure, to be in danger of going into septic shock from the infection.

They decided to operate immediately, cutting the patient open and removing both of the scaly invaders.

Medics declared the operation a success – but warned it could have ended very differently.

One doctor told the Chinese website: “The second fish is 4in long and 0.8in wide. He could have lost his life if this loach swam further and reached upper organs.”

He said the man was transferred to intensive care after the surgery to be treated for a serious infection the fish had caused, but added the man was expected to recover.