IAN CLARKE We've probably all stuck our arm down the back of the sofa over the past week.Maybe in an effort to hunt for the stray remote control or find a few vital pennies to help post-Christmas debts or to retrieve the last wandering Quality Street chocolate.

IAN CLARKE

We've probably all stuck our arm down the back of the sofa over the past week.

Maybe in an effort to hunt for the stray remote control or find a few vital pennies to help post-Christmas debts or to retrieve the last wandering Quality Street chocolate.

But a woman was left in a pickle on Tuesday as her arm got trapped and had to call firemen out to release her.

The woman in her mid 50s was alone at her home at Hawthorn Drive, Scarning, near Dereham, at about 12.30pm when she was searching in her settee and realised she couldn't get her arm out.

Fortunately her phone was nearby and after trying to call friends who were not answering, she decided to call firemen.

A Dereham crew prized open the sofa and quickly freed the woman's arm.

A fire service spokesman said: “Once her arm was released she was fine and after having a cup of tea she went off to work.”