TRAGIC: Man and mother-in-law die fter trying to retrieve mobile phone dropped down toilet.

TRAGIC: A relative of the victims is in tears by the cesspit

A father and his mother-in-law died trying to retrieve a mobile phone which had been dropped down the toilet.

The victims were overcome by fumes while wading through the cesspit to search for the brand new phone which was worth nearly £200.

A woman had dropped it into the cesspit and her husband and mother-in-law climbed down to look for it, the South China Morning Post reports.

But they passed out within a matter of minutes due to the smell.

Other relatives went in to try and rescue them and also became unconscious.

Eventually, villagers in Xinxiang tied rope to the victims and pulled free the six people who had gone into the cesspit.

Three more are now in a serious condition in hospital.

The woman, who is among those in intensive care, and her dead husband had a one-year-old baby.

A hospital doctor said the victims suffocated.