Image copyright Google Image caption Staffordshire Police were called to Mossfield Road in Longton

A man who broke into a house and took a bath was disturbed when the homeowner returned to find him enjoying a "cup of Oxo" while having a soak.

Staffordshire Police said officers were called to a house on Mossfield Road, in the Longton area of Stoke-on-Trent, on Wednesday night.

When they arrived, a naked man fled the property and tried to escape.

Police arrested a 36-year-old man, of no fixed address, on suspicion of burglary and he was taken into custody.

The homeowner, who did not want to be identified, said he thought he had seen "a ghost" when he found the man in his bath.

Jar of pickles

"He had a cup of Oxo in his hand. He'd made himself a cup of Oxo."

"He ate me crisps, had five rounds of corned beef and sauce, ate a jar of pickles, had two ice creams and a can of coke," he added.

"Nobody can believe what's happened because it's something what doesn't happen."

The force said the 36-year-old was released with no further action after an assessment where "his safeguarding needs were addressed".

Ch Insp Karen Stevenson said: "This was a highly unusual episode and not one we see every day.

"I'd like to reassure local residents that this was a completely isolated incident and there's no reason to be alarmed."