Drunk Russians cut off ears for bet

Two drunk Russian men each cut off an ear after taking part in an arm-wrestling match in a remote Siberian town.

The contestants had been celebrating Orthodox Christmas on January 7 when they agreed to the forfeit if they lost the match.

But when they failed to determine a winner, they decided to call it a draw.

In a sportsmanlike gesture both agreed to severe their ears - one completely, the other partially.

Hospital staff alerted the police when the two patients admitted themselves in the Gurev district of the Kemerovo region, 1,800 miles east of Moscow, it was reported by the Daily Telegraph.

Their wounds were likened that to painter Vincent Van Gogh who cut off his ear during a bout of depression.

Police are currently trying to establish whether self-mutilation is actually a crime before pursuing case, it was reported by The Daily Telegraph.

After interviewing both men, officers said in a statement: 'According to the agreed rules of the drunken contest, the loser had to cut off his ear.'

After losing the first round, one of the men successfully challenged the result then went on to win the replay.

But the winner of the first round insisted he had won, so they both called it a draw.

It is not known whether surgeons were able to re-attach the men's ears.