The boys had been performing Love Love - their new single for the movie X Men: First Class, on a 100ft robot when its arms failed to lower leaving Mark Owen and Howard Donald stuck where they had been stood on the palms of its hands.
Robbie Williams, Gary Barlow and Jason Orange had all been performing on the torso of the tour robot OM, and made it safely back to the stage before Gary told the Manchester audience, 'Normally at this point in the show we're all standing here together.
'But it seems that despite 300 people working on this show you still get some hitches.'
According to The Sun, Howard was forced to sing lead vocals on Never Forget from his trapped position before they were rescued by roadies with ladders.
OM finished the rest of the show without a hitch and tour bosses don't forsee any problems for the rest of the tour.