Portsmouth man's trousers stand-up unaided after becoming frozen solid in icy weather

Temperatures plummeted below zero across the city and as low as -3C at Thorney Island on Wednesday night, so Marcin Jedrysiak decided to make the most of the frosty conditions.

Marcin was creating a make-shift ice rink on his garden patio for his seven-year-old daughter when he came up with the visual gag.

The 38-year-old, of Colebrook Avenue in Copnor, said: 'When I was a teenager in Poland, I went sledding down a hill and ended up in a river.

‘I had to walk home and by the time I got home my trousers were frozen solid.

‘So I knew I could so something fun with some frozen trousers.’

Marcin, who works as a radiography department assistant at Queen Alexandra Hospital, soaked a pair of old work trousers and hung them on the washing line to freeze in less than an hour.

He then before stood them up in the garden to surprise his daughter, Pola.

He said: ‘When she saw them she was like “wow – it’s like someone invisible is standing in the garden”.’

In the Polish national’s home city of Koszalin, residents have been enduring temperatures as low as -12C over the last week – and Marcin hopes children across Portsmouth can experience a similar winter one day.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth family shares their Chinese New Year traditions as small celebrations and virtual greetings set to take place

He said: ‘Kids in Poland have proper winters. They are used to icy conditions.

‘Here I hear so many parents saying, “don't go out, you will smash your head open".

‘In Poland, people love to get creative - sometimes, when there is a lot of snow, we build igloos.

‘I wish all the children in Portsmouth get to experience a proper winter.’

Freezing conditions will continue in Portsmouth and Hampshire until Saturday, with severe cold weather predicted across much of the country, according to a forecast from the Met Office.

Meanwhile, Marcin is waiting for his trousers to finish thawing. He said: ‘They are old work trousers - I put on some weight during lockdown, so I don’t wear them anymore, but hopefully I can use them again.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as fewer adverts, access to our digital edition and mobile app.

Our trial offer starts at just £2 a month for the first two months.