Police said the 25-year-old Bexley man was staying at a local motel and was drug-affected when he went for a walk on Wednesday night. He entered a stormwater drain on the CBD fringes and became lost.

A passerby heard his yells for help coming from a manhole near the Bourke/Addison Street intersection at about 9.20am Thursday and tried to help. Police were called and its rescue unit had to enlarge the hole to free the man.  

They said he was in good health but could not explain how he got into the drain.