Police in Germany had to call in a locksmith to break into jail when the lock on a cell broke, trapping a prisoner inside, authorities said Wednesday.

Police in the Bavarian town of Zwiesel near the Czech border locked up the 18-year-old at the police station after he was accused of smashing a car window during May day festivities on Tuesday.

Officers planned to send the youth home the following morning, but could not open the door because of the broken lock.

"We told him we'd get him out of there," said a spokesman for local police. "We said the locksmith was coming and that if that didn't work we'd prise the iron bars apart for him."

The locksmith managed to spring the lock and free the prisoner.

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