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A hapless man was taken to hospital after claiming a banana launched from a passing vehicle slammed into his private parts in a drive-by 'fruiting'.

Police said the man was discovered lying at the roadside, writhing in agony, near the Quick Food convenience store in Westfield, Massachusetts.

A passer-by had raised the alarm after seeing him stumbling towards the store.

When asked by officers what the issue was, he apparently described how he had been struck by the yellow fruit which had been flung from a car window.

In his report, Officer Richard Mazza said: “[The] male party stated he was 'struck in the banana by a banana'.

"When asked what he meant, he stated he was struck in the groin by a banana thrown out of the window of a passing vehicle."

According to reports in the US, the man was taken to Noble Hospital at his own request and was given a sick note, affording him the following day off work.

Police have not found any evidence to support the man's story.

In Officer Mazza's words, the search for the offending banana was "fruitless".