SIX people -- including a duty manager -- had to be rescued by firefighters from a lift at a Bolton hotel early today.

Firemen were called to the Pack Horse Hotel in Nelson Square, Bradshawgate, at 1.30am.

The trapped people also included a man with claustrophobia.

A fire brigade spokesman said the interior of the lift became quite hot because the people trapped inside had to stand in close to each other.

Firefighters believe the lift stopped because there was too much weight and a built in safety mechanism prevented it from moving. It is thought one of the passengers raised the alarm by making a mobile phone call.

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Firefighters freed them by using a special lift key issued to the fire service by lift manufacturers.

Bolton Central Fire Station Officer Dave Pimblett said: "There were six people in the lift, including the duty manager, who is normally the person who helps people if someone gets stuck in a lift.

"There was one man who was extremely claustrophobic and he was panicking a lot. It was only a smallish lift and I think the lift had over loaded with the amount of people in it.

"They were extremely relieved to be released."

The fire chief said he did not know how long the passengers had not been trapped.