Leigh Ford (pictured), 45, sparked a police operation costing £30,000 after he made frantic calls to partner

A man who faked his own kidnapping and demanded ransom from his pregnant girlfriend so he could go drinking was jailed after he admitted wasting police time.

Leigh Ford, 45, sparked a police operation costing £30,000 after he made frantic calls to partner Zoe Doyle claiming he would be mutilated and have his genitals cut off.

She sent him £80 but his story unravelled when police found CCTV of him leaving a shop after buying drinks with friends.

His 16-week prison sentence meant Ford, from Blackpool, missed the birth of their child, The Sun reported.

Ms Doyle, 35, said: 'I could hear men shouting in the background, threatening to break Leigh's legs and throw boiling water over him.

'They were threatening to mutilate him, cut off his genitals, and I was panic-stricken.

'I was absolutely furious. I felt like strangling him. He had caused so much stress and worry and it was all for nothing.'

However Ms Doyle said she had forgiven her partner, saying it was a 'one-off' and that he deserved a 'second chance'.

Zoe Doyle (left) sent him £80 but his story unravelled when police found CCTV of him leaving a shop after buying drinks with friends

Police deployed a helicopter and trained negotiator after Ford screamed at his girlfriend and begged her to pay the ransom before he had his legs broken and boiling water thrown over him.

But when he came home the following day he was arrested and charged with wasting police time.

He reportedly collapsed in the dock when he was jailed after he admitted the offence at Blackpool Magistrates' Court.

Ford's defence lawyer said he had 'no idea what the police reaction was going to be' after he launched the prank in January this year.