A Lithuanian man has had more than a kilogram of nails, screws, nuts and knives removed from his stomach by doctors, local media report.

He had been swallowing metal objects for a month after quitting alcohol, doctors said.

Some of the objects retrieved during a surgery in Klaipeda University Hospital were 10cm (4in) long, according to Lithuania’s LRT public broadcaster.

Surgeon Sarunas Dailidenas called it a “unique case”.

In its article (in Lithuanian), LRT published a KUH photo showing a surgical tray full of metal objects after the emergency three-hour operation.

The man was brought by ambulance with severe abdominal pain to the hospital on the Baltic Sea coast.

He is now reported to be in a stable condition, and is being monitored at KUH.