Dating can be full of surprises, but one woman’s Tinder date took an unexpected and humiliating turn when she got trapped in a window while trying to retrieve her own poop.
Yes, you read that correctly.
This bizarre and hilarious story, which took place in Bristol, England, quickly went viral and became known as #PooGate—a cautionary tale about panic, poor decisions, and a very unfortunate bathroom situation.
Let’s dive into the details of one of the most awkward first dates in history and find out what really happened.
A Seemingly Normal Tinder Date
In 2017, Liam Smyth, a 24-year-old university student, matched with a woman on Tinder. Like any modern romance, their conversation led to plans for a casual dinner date at Nando’s, a well-known restaurant famous for its chicken dishes.
The evening seemed to go well. They enjoyed their meal, shared good conversation, and later headed back to Liam’s home to unwind with a bottle of wine and a documentary about Scientology by Louis Theroux.
Everything was going smoothly—until nature called.
A Bathroom Mishap Turns Into Panic Mode
At some point during the night, Liam’s date excused herself to use the bathroom. What happened next would change the course of the evening forever.
After finishing her business, she realized she had clogged the toilet. No matter how many times she flushed, the water wouldn’t go down.
Panicked and embarrassed, she made a split-second decision that she would soon regret. Instead of asking Liam for help, she decided to wrap the poop in tissue and throw it out of the window—hoping to discreetly dispose of the evidence.
But things didn’t go according to plan.
Instead of landing outside, the poop got stuck between two panes of glass in a narrow gap that separated the bathroom window from the outer wall.
Realizing she had just made things worse, she had no choice but to confess to Liam what had happened.
The Moment of Truth: Confessing the Awkward Disaster
Imagine being in her shoes—walking back into the living room, face flushed, trying to explain what just happened.
According to Liam, she nervously admitted, “I went to the toilet, and it wouldn’t flush… so I panicked. I reached into the toilet bowl, wrapped it in tissue paper, and threw it out of the window.”
But then came the kicker—“It didn’t make it all the way outside.”
Liam, likely struggling to process what he just heard, agreed to help her retrieve the rogue poop. That’s when things went from bad to worse.
The Failed Rescue Attempt: Woman Trapped in the Window
Liam initially suggested going outside to retrieve the trapped poop from the narrow gap, but the window did not open fully to the garden.
Determined to fix her mistake, his date decided to take matters into her own hands—literally.
Being an amateur gymnast, she believed she could climb headfirst into the gap, grab the poop, and climb back out.
Sounds simple, right?
Well, it wasn’t.
Once she squeezed into the window gap, she got stuck. Completely stuck. Upside down.
Liam tried to pull her out, but she was wedged so tightly between the window frames that she couldn’t move.
Calling for Backup: The Fire Department Arrives
After several unsuccessful attempts to free her, Liam had no choice but to call the fire department.
According to his recount, she had already been trapped upside down for 15 minutes, and he was starting to worry about her safety.
Within minutes, Bristol’s fire department arrived—sirens blaring.
As the firefighters surveyed the scene, it was clear they were struggling to keep a straight face. Even they had never seen a rescue mission quite like this.
Using specialized tools, they carefully worked to free the woman. After another 15 minutes, they finally succeeded—but at the cost of breaking the bathroom window in the process.
The Aftermath: Going Viral and #PooGate
With his bathroom window shattered and his date physically unharmed but emotionally scarred, Liam now faced another problem—fixing the damage.
He decided to set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the £300 ($400) repair bill.
But then something unexpected happened.
The story went viral overnight. News outlets around the world picked up the bizarre tale, and social media exploded with memes, jokes, and reactions under the hashtag #PooGate.
People found the situation both horrifying and hilarious, and donations flooded in.
Liam ended up raising over £2,000 ($3,144)—far more than he needed for the repairs. Generously, he donated the excess funds to charity, specifically to a group that helps build toilets in developing countries.
Did Liam and His Date Stay Together?
After going through something so humiliating together, did Liam and his date continue seeing each other?
Sadly, they didn’t become a couple—but they did remain friends.
Liam later said, “We still talk on Facebook every now and then. You’ve got to stay friends after going through something like this together.”
While their romance didn’t last, they certainly shared an unforgettable experience that neither of them would ever forget.
Final Thoughts: The Most Unbelievable Tinder Date Ever?
There are bad first dates, and then there are first dates that go down in internet history.
This story of a woman getting trapped in a window while retrieving her own poop is easily one of the most bizarre, awkward, and downright hilarious dating stories ever told.
It’s a reminder that sometimes, panic leads to questionable decisions, and that in the world of dating, anything can happen.
If nothing else, this legendary incident gave the internet one of the most entertaining viral moments of the decade—and it all started with one clogged toilet.
