A Limerick farmer has been compared to the action hero character John McClane, from the Die Hard movie series, after he tackled a passenger on a plane who attempted to open one of the emergency exit doors during a flight.

The mid-air drama occurred last weekend as the plane was travelling from Hong Kong to Heathrow London.

As the man apparently went to break the seal on the plane's emergency exit door, the Limerick farmer, who wishes his identity be kept secret, jumped from his seat and wrestled him to the floor.

Independent Limerick Councillor Emmet O'Brien, who is a friend of the man, compared him to the Bruce Willis character, adding: "He would not be the type to let any type of blackguarding go on".

Here he is in his own trailer...