Axminster fire crew called to family trapped in car in floodwater

Axminster fire crew were called to help a family from a car stuck in flood water in West Dorset on Sunday.

Axminster and Charmouth fire crews were called to Burton Bradstock, near Bridport, just after 1pm on Sunday afternoon.

Access to this incident was made extremely difficult by deep floodwater.

Once at one of the access points, Axminster's crew entered the water in their wading suits but were unable to reach the vehicle as the water was over one metre deep.

The crews then used their map-reading skills to try and ascertain where the next best access point would be.

Whilst relocating to a separate access point, crews came across a member of public in a 4X4 who had managed to pull the family's vehicle from the flood water to a safer place to await recovery.

A spokesperson for Axminster fire crew said: "Fortunately nobody was injured in this incident and it was some great cross border working with our neighbouring station from Dorset."

Charmouth fire crew advised: "A vehicles air intake for the engine are quite low, normally in the front grill. Water can not be compressed inside and engine.

"Therefore your engine will stop leaving you stranded in a potentially a life threatening situation with rising flood water.

"Do not drive through flood water, even if it looks shallow. Find another route."