Police called to a garden discovered two human feet sticking out from a pile of plants after a drunk Norfolk man decided to cover his unconscious friend up with the foliage to stop him catching hypothermia, a court heard.

Police called to a garden discovered two human feet sticking out from a pile of plants after a drunk Norfolk man decided to cover his unconscious friend up with the foliage to stop him catching hypothermia, a court heard.

Shaun Thurling, of Estuary Close, King's Lynn, had drunk two bottles of

vodka with his friend on a night out in Wisbech on June 17.

Fenland Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that the friend, a Polish national who was not named, fell off a wall as a result of drinking too much.

Thurling, 35, put him in the recovery position and pulled up four large bushes to provide him with shelter.

The defendant, who admitted a charge of being drunk and disorderly, told the court: "I have had several friends die from hypothermia - I was not going to have that on my conscience.

"I met the fella in Norwich Road, I introduced myself to him and we sat and had a drink.

"There was no one else there; this bloke was unconscious on the floor, and I would have been the last person to see him.

"That is why I covered him up with the plants."

Prosecutor Nicola Ebbs said the Polish national was arrested for being drunk and incapable.

He was taken to the police station to sober up and then released.

Thurling told the court he had drunk 20 bottles of

lager throughout the day, and apologised to the

police and the owner of the garden.

He was fined £50 by magistrates, and ordered to pay £50 costs.