A Russian man performed a DIY circumcision using his own knife and chopping board - because doctors refused to treat him for a rare condition.

The 38-year-old, named only as Roman A, was suffering from phimosis - a condition in which the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis.

Roman, from the city of Noginsk in western Russia's Moscow Oblast region, said he was in excruciating pain - and could not even bear to go to the toilet.

A Russian man performed a DIY circumcision using his own knife and chopping board - because doctors refused to treat him for a rare condition

He claims that he was forced to operate on himself as doctors turned a deaf ear to his pleas for surgery.

He disinfected a sharp knife and a chopping board - and performed DIY surgery on himself to enlarge the hole in his foreskin.

Roman reportedly started bleeding heavily as soon as he cut himself but remained conscious and was able to call the ambulance that took him to hospital.

He said: 'It was my choice to do it. Doctors have turned me down and this has affected me psychologically.

The 38-year-old, named only as Roman A, was suffering from phimosis - a condition in which the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis

'I felt hurt. I was diagnosed with a serious problem, and they delayed the surgery.'

Roman said that he approached several medical institutions for help before attempting his bizarre DIY surgery when none would operate on him.

Phimosis is common in toddlers and children, for whom it is not normally a problem, but it is unusual in older boys and adults.