A man who climbed naked into a washing machine to surprise his girlfriend became stuck and needed to be rescued by emergency services, according to the Shepparton News.

Emergency services took 20 minutes to free the naked man. He was prompted to climb into the top-loading washing machine during "a game of hide-and-seek", it said.

The incident happened on Saturday afternoon in the nearby town of Mooroopna. The man, 20, required lubrication to be freed, said Sergeant Matthew Peck of Shepparton Police. However, Sergeant Peck could not confirm reports that olive oil was used.

The washing machine's lid was taken off and the machine tipped on its side so the man could be freed, said a spokesman for Victoria Police.

His colleague, Sergeant Michelle De Araugo, said that police, firefighters, paramedics, the Tatura SES and Shepparton Search and Rescue Squad were all called to the unit, in Helmer Street, just after5pm.

"He was very well wedged in there and we were concerned for his health and wellbeing," Sgt De Araugo told Shepparton News.

"It was just a game gone wrong. It would be fair to say the gentleman was very embarrassed."

Sergeant Peck said the man wanted "absolutely nothing to do" with the media following the incident.