The incident occurred in the centre of Sao Paulo, with a crowd gathering as a violent row waged on a balcony after a wife was caught in the act by her husband.

Stuck in another room, the adulterous woman’s partner made a makeshift escape rope out of bed covers. With only his boxers for protection, he managed to climb down the rope and leap onto a ground-level landing pad the local fire brigade had helpfully prepared.

Stealth was not on the agenda, and the man was met with a chorus of enthusiastic cheers and laughter.

After making a few more ‘friendly’ gestures directed at the spurned husband, the escapist casually walked off into the San Paolo afternoon, dozens of camera phones pointed in his direction.