A bloke who lost his nose ring five years ago has found it in his lung.

Joey Lykins from Cincinnati, Ohio USA, was rushed to hospital in August with suspected pneumonia, but when doctors began analysis they made a shocking discovery.

In his lung, they found a 0.6-inch retainer — one he said he had lost five years ago.

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The 35-year-old groundskeeper had got the metal piercing lodged in his lung half a decade ago, but had recently developed the severe cough that warranted the trip to the hospital.

The ring had once been in his septum but had become embedded in the upper lobe of his left lung, he believes, while he slept.

He said one morning five years ago he’d woken up to find it missing but after “turning my bedroom upside down” gave up and bagged himself another one.

Doctors are understood to have been stumped by why the cough that alerted Joey had cropped up now rather than five years ago, but one theory goes that the scar tissue surrounding it could have got too big.

It could also have moved slightly in recent weeks.

Joey said that when doctors showed him the remarkable scans he said: “Are you kidding me? I've been looking for that!”

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Three days after the scan he returned to the hospital to get the little piece of metal – now surrounded by scar tissue – removed once and for all.

He underwent a procedure called a bronchoscopy, which involved him going under general anaesthesia.

It saw a pipe pass down his throat and into his lung. The procedure is commonly used to clear blockages patients have in their respiratory or digestive systems.

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The ring was hooked and gently pulled back up out the way it came in.

MailOnline reports that Joey suffered no complications and has decided to keep the ring as a souvenir.

He said: “I'm glad it didn't puncture my lung.

“It had never caused me problems, I've coughed but I never thought too much of it.

“I didn't know what was going on but I never thought that's what it was. I've never heard of it happening before.”

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