A man was crushed to death in central London on Friday while attempting to repair a telescopic urinal, one of a number of facilities which rise out of the ground to provide late-night relief for revellers.

Firefighters used a winch to remove the man who was trapped underneath the urinal, below street level, but he was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance staff, the London Fire Brigade said in a statement.

The incident took place in the heart of London’s West End entertainment district which is packed with pubs, bars, theatres and restaurants.

“The man is thought to have sustained crush injuries while working on a telescopic urinal,” London’s police force said.

The man’s relatives have been informed of his death, police added.