A MAN with an eel lodged in his bottom has shown up at a New Zealand emergency department asking for help.

The unnamed man presented himself at the Auckland City Hospital for treatment last week, the New Zealand Herald reported.

X-rays revealed the eel "about the size of a decent sprig of asparagus," a hospital source told the newspaper.

"The incident is the talk of the place. Doctors and nurses have come across people with strange objects that have got stuck where they shouldn't before, but an eel has to be a first."

The eel was removed and the man went on his way. The hospital confirmed the story to the newspaper, but revealed no further details in order to protect the man's privacy.

It was not clear how the eel had found its way inside the man. According to the newspaper, eels are secretive, nocturnal and prefer habitats with plenty of cover.