Two men have spent seven hours trapped 160 metres underground, after a lift failed at a coal mine south of Sydney.

It was a lengthy ordeal for the men who found themselves stranded about halfway down the shaft when their lift malfunctioned at the Tahmoor mine near Picton.

Responders had the difficult task of working out how to reach the 54 and 37-year-olds.

They were fortunately able to communicate with rescue crews as New South Wales Fire and Rescue took the lead in the operation.

A second lift car was eventually lowered down to retrieve the miners and bring them back to the surface.

The men are said to have been a bit hungry and tired, but otherwise they’ve escaped without injury.

The Tahmoor mine is yet to resume operations following last night’s rescue and an investigation in underway.