Motel mishap

A 73-year-old US man was tricked by pranksters into trashing his motel room.

Joseph Jones - who was staying at South Carolina's Motel 6 at the time of the incident - received a phone call from a joker claiming to be the motel's manager, telling him to get rid of some video cameras installed by the previous resident.

The impersonator told the elderly man to use the toilet cover to smash up the TV and then throw it out the window.

Mr. Jones was then instructed to smash a mirror and break into the room next door to free a "trapped midget".

Police were eventually alerted to the scene after fellow guests complained about the noise. However, no charges have been pressed.