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A distressed man who was found with his penis chopped off was tonight put into an induced coma by medical experts.

The move came after a passing motorist had seen the man wandering in the early hours of Thursday morning by a road side apparently looking for his severed appendage.

Teams of officers were then forced to close a long stretch of dual carriageway near Middlesbrough as they tried to find it.

They later arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of assault.

It is believed the unnamed victim - quickly dubbed "The Boro Bobbitt" after the infamous US case of John Wayne Bobbitt, whose wife chopped off part of his manhood - was seen searching in undergrowth "in a clear state of distress".

(Image: North News)

Cleveland Police were called to a spot on the A66 near Middlesbrough at 4.50am today.

A 40-year-old man, who is not being named, was there with "serious injuries to the groin area".

But he was unable to speak to cops in any detail about how his nightmare injuries came about.

"He was in a terrible state when he was found," said a source. "It was necessary to close the road for a period as a search began for his missing organ. He is in such distress that it is proving a struggle to find out exactly how the injury happened."

(Image: North News)

Detectives are waiting to speak to him about his ordeal as he was rushed to nearby James Cook Hospital.

His injuries were described as severe and he was in a serious condition due to blood loss.

It is understood he is from the South Bank area of Teesside.

Cleveland Police last night confirmed a local man was being held in connection with their inquiry, which mirrors the infamous case of American Bobbit.

He had part of his penis severed in 1993, his wife Lorena having cut it off with a penknife.

Their story made headlines around the world. Bobbit had it re-attached, and became the subject of a film about the experience "every man dreads".

He even claimed the injury had 'improved' his love life.

(Image: Getty)

It is unclear whether the unnamed victim in the Middlesbrough case underwent surgery before he was put into a coma, nor even if the missing organ has been found.

The police investigation led to the closure of the A66 Westbound from Greystone Roundabout to Church Lane.

The A66, a busy dual carriageway at peak times, was cordoned off near an Asda store by the Grangetown near Middlesbrough.

Each junction between the two points on the A66 had police cars or vans parked to cordon the road and police tape sectioned off an area at the South Bank end of the stretch of road.

Several police officers were seen combing the grass verge near the spot where the man was found.

Cops stopped vehicles at the Grangetown roundabout letting trucks through to access Teesport and diverting cars.

A police spokeswoman said: "The road closures were required as part of the investigation into how the man received his injuries.

"This is necessary so that officers can look for anything which may shed light on how he became injured or his direction of travel.

"If the road was not closed any evidence could be lost or destroyed."

She added: "Investigations are at a very early stage."

Anyone with information which may help the investigation is asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101.