A would-be thief has been arrested and admitted to hospital after swallowing a £9,000 diamond during an attempted robbery at a Sri Lanka gem show.

Apparently, the 32-year-old Chinese man has been given laxatives. However, the diamond won't shift as it's lodged in his gut, which means he'll now need surgery. So it's probably fair to say his day didn't quite turn out as he'd originally hoped...

Stall-holder Suresh de Silva - who's pictured above, handily brandishing a gem similar to the one now lodged inside the wannabe thief - told news agency AFP: "He came with another Chinese man. One of them tried to distract me while the other had a diamond in his hand.

"When I realised what was happening and shouted, one ran away and we managed to catch the man who swallowed the stone."

Police spokesman Ajith Rohana added: "Doctors have advised surgery to remove the diamond. The man's life could be in danger if the pointed end of the diamond tears his guts."

Hmmm... let's hope they give that gem a good clean before they sell it on when it's eventually removed from the man.

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