Johannesburg - Two men were rescued after they climbed a 50- metre tower in Johannesburg to get "closer to Jesus" on Christmas Day, the South African Press Association reported Friday, citing paramedics.

"When we arrived at the radio tower at 7:30 am, we found two men, aged 28 and 30, sitting on the tower from the night before for almost 20 hours with no water or food," SAPA quoted Werner Vermaak as saying.

"A bystander who spotted the men sitting on the tower, alerted police and emergency services who then arrived at the scene and tried to persuade the men to climb down."

Paramedics climbed the tower to talk to the men after they refused to come down. They said the men had spread salt on the tower's ladder to "protect them."

"After two hours of negotiating, the men decided to climb down willingly with the assistance of the paramedics and rescue workers ... a sky lift was used to lower them down to the ground."

The men refused to go to hospital for treatment and were arrested on the ground by police, who were investigating the incident. (dpa)